The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-05-19

One Copy, Six Months In advance. ...... IT
One Copy, Three Months in advance.... .N
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER
THE HOUSE RATE BILL
President Taft's optimistic declara-
ton, q few days ago, that he would
yet obtain q railroad rate bill from
congress. seems justified by the pass
age Of the measure by the House. 1t
seems certain. further. that 1t will go
through the Senate in some form. The
real difficulty is likely to come in
conference, Al 1t is expected there will
be radical differences between the
two bills.
The House struck out the provis-
ion for a interstate commerce court,
to which the president is deeply de-
voted. re No such clause is to be found
In The measure in its nnal form. the
executive will be greatly disappoint-
ed. but there IL little doubt that he
will kign the law, recognising the
right Of congress to shape legislation.
The commerce court is splendid in
theory. but It 10 . question Of how
much practical value It would be. Ger
tain It 10 that the average federal cir
cult court Judge IL poorly qualified to
pass upon intricate railroad rate cases
and the commerce court would be an
Improvement In that respect. as 1t
woull develop . special knowledge Of
the subject, on the part Of the judges
nSthe court. Insurgents were not dis
posed % take kindly to the plan. be-
cause Of the expense involved in
bringing cases before It and because
ct the small number Of appeals that
have been made from the commerce
commission.
The House bill 10 the most radical!
bysfar. IN the way Of railroad legis-
lation, y 9 70 DO approved by either
branch Of congress.
Tho measure gives the commission.
authority to investigate inequalities
n rates on its own motion, thus OBJ
WAITING the necessity Of complaint by
: shipper who must anticipate the
large expense Of carrying the case. II
need be.yto the highest court.
The commission IL authorized to
supervise classifcations Of freight.
rats1.swhich would permit that body
TO pFsvsne increases in rates by trans
fers from one class to another or to.
commodity rates.
Under the House bill the commits
sion can regulate the supply Of cars
for shippers. Much complaint has
been made ct different times against
the railroad companies. especially by
independent coal operators. that the
railroad, discriminate In favor Of the
big shipper In distributing cars.
a feature Of the House bill which
provoked q great deal Of debate Is the
long and short haul clause. It pro-
hsbits the railroad companies from
changing q higher rate for a short
haul than for a long one. This was
particularly desired by western states,
4 because the railroad companies, in
fixing transcontinental rates, took in
to consideration the lower water rates
but charged more for shipments to
points inland. For example, rates or
many commodities from New York
to San Francisco are higher thanoto
Salt Lake City. The House merely
puts into law a conclusion reach,
by the commerce commission il
the famous Spokane rate case, where.
Init was held that the rates to Spo'
kane from the east should not be
I. higher than the rates to Seattle and
new rates were axed on the ground
that the railroad companies were
earning an unreasonable profit. Thu
Senate also has adopted q long ane
short haul clause, but it gives the
commission authority to make ex-
Isceptions when in Its judgment water
competition warrants them.
The House authorizes the commits
sion to make physical valuation Of
any or all railroads in the United
States. In view of the fact that the