Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-01-07
MANN AND TAFT
NOT IN ACCORD
rs TO RAIL WAYS
ILLINOIS REPRESENTATIVE INTRO
DUCES HIS OWN BILL FOR REG
ULATION OF CARRIERS.
WOULD CREATE A NEW BUREAU
Department Of Commerce and Labor
Would Pass Upon Shippers
Complaints.
WOULD CREATE A NEW BUREAU
PROHIBITS WATERING OF STOCK.

WASHINGTON, ID. G., jan IA
bill making sweeping changes in the IN
terstate commerce laws for the regula-
rion of railroads was introduced III the
House today by Representative Mann OF
Illinois, chairman Of the committee on
Interstate and foreign commerce. The
bill is not IN accord with the one pre-
pared by the committee acting under the
direction Of President Taft and known
as the administration railroad BILL but
was prepared by Chairman Mann dur
ing the summer vacation of Congress.
This measure does not provide for
special court to hear interstate commerce
cases as has been reported would he
form of Legislation on this subject. III
President Taft would RECOMMEND. 1t
proposes, however, to create in the de-
partment of commerce and labor a bu-
reau to be called the bureau of trans
portatlon,' where IL shipper may Tile com
plant against railroad.
Must Report Findings.
If. after an Investigation, the commits
SIOner of the bureau Of transportation
finds that there is justice in the com
plant he must report the facts TO the
attorney general of the United States
and ii the attorney general is satisfied
that there is a cause of action he is re-
Quired to file q petition with the inter
state commerce commission and prose
cute the case at the expense OF the
government. The shipper may, if he
prefers, still file his complaint direct
with the commission and prosecute it
at his own expense, as the present law
provides.
The bill makes it the duty Of common
carriers to establish just and reasonable
classifcations and regulations, and au
thorizes the Interstate commerce com
mission to prescribe what they shall be.
Amends Haul Clause.
The long and short haul clause of the
Interstate commerce act would be amend
ed so as to provide that that charge for
q short haul shall III no case be greater
than the charge for long haul and the
charge for Il through rate shall be no
greater than the aggregate of the local
rate. False or padded claims for dam
ages by a shipper are prohibited as re-
bates are.
The provisions Of the law in regard to
filing complaints and authorizing the
commission to adjust complaints and fix
rates are very much enlarged and they
give power to the commission not only TO
fix rates upon complaint but also to ad
just and prescribe claSSiticatiOns, regu~
lations and practices generally: The
commission may suspend the taking eff
feet of any proposed rate or change III
had OH the subject. The committee is
also given the power to establish through
rates and joint rates, and the shipper to
select the entire route over which Il ship
ment shall be transported.
Each Rebate an Offense.
Railroads are required to furnish rates
on written application. Every shipment
of property on which 4 rebate is paid is
made a separate offense and the Elkins
law is amended to that extent. The
railroads, under the Mann bill, may eX-
change transportation for advertisement
of their time tables in newspapers
A common carrier is prohibited from
owning or acquiring ownership of stock
i'll any competing carrier. The bill also
makes it unlawful for a railroad COM
pany to issue any stock or bonds except
for the acquisition of property, the con-
struction of its lines. the Improvement
of it's service or the discharge of it's
obligations, and after filing with the
commissioner of transportation a state
ment setting forth the full details Of the
issue. The bill requires stock to be sold
for not less than par and bonds for not
less than the reasonable market value,
and provides q penalty Of $4,000 fine
and Imprisonment for five years for the
illegal issuance of stocks and bonds.
The bill also makes it unlawful for
any railway to acquire by purchase,
lease OF otherwise. the ownership of any
connecting line and forbids any form
of ownership to acquire control of two
competing lines Of transportatio unless
permitted by the interstate commerce
commission.
The bill was referred to the committee
of which Mr.. Mann is chairman.