The National tribune., 1910-06-09
The RAILROAD RATE BILL.
The Long Agony is Virtually
Over, and the Measure Ham,
mered Into Shape-All Parties
Vote for Ii.

The railroad rate bill, which opposi-
ton Senators have been battering for
the best part OF two months, and which
the Senate has just passed, contains
numerous features constituting an ad-
vance in Federal supervision over inter-
state transportation. These opposi-
tionists. both insurgents and Demo-
Gratis, concede as much. Most of these
desirable features have been adopted
now by both the Senate and the House
and are certain to become law in some
form II the railroad bill reaches the
President.
To the general public the Commerce
Court is the best known provision in
the stoutly-contested measure. In
Washington, outside of the White
House, an opinion prevails that the
granting of authority TO the Interstate
Conamefce Commission to originate
complaints against rates, to determine
the classification of freight. the grant
ing of authority to shippers to specify
the route over which their goods shall
be carried. and the requirement upon
railroads to quote rates correctly to
inquirers Will be the more beneficial to
the country at large.
The Senate bill, as finally voted upon,
covers 40-odd printed pages. Quite
one-third OF this Is given up to the au-
thorizatfon Of the Commerce Court. The
procedure there has been carefully
hedged about in both the Senate and
the House bills. Able lawyers of both
bodies spent many days in studying
and in debating to make sure no Sc
rious blunders were committed in that
connection. The majority sentiment in
both houses was probably against any
special court, but many Senators and
Representatives OF the Republican
Party deferred to the Presidents earn
est wish for the establishment of this
court
The Original Bill Modified.
The Presidents original plans for the
court have been considerably modified,
The court will consist of five Circuit
Judges. detailed from different parts
of the country, for five-year periods OF
service. The President will have the
appointment of five additional Circuit
Judges, because OF these new duties,
but no two OF them shall be from the
same judicial circuit. The Senate did
not provide that these Commerce Court
Judges shall have any extra compensa-
tion while detailed to Washington. Ths
House makes the extra compensation
$4,000 a year.
deal Of language has been put into
the railroad bill also regarding the
conduct of cases before the court and
about the part the Department of Jus.
tice is to have In defending suits
brought to set aside the orders of the
Interstate Commerce Commission
There have been many days of Sen.
ate debate over the plans of the Presi.
dent and Attorney-GeneraI Wickersham
10 transfer the defense of such suits
absolutely to the Department of Jus.
tice. Critics claimed the provision az
originally drawn would have beer
greatly to the advantage OF the rail.
roads The upshot of the long fight
Of frnag 1ni iAA md NJ naf
Gratis In some degree, was that the
Senate agreed that both the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the com
planning shippers or organizations car
appear in these suits. and, as Senator
Cummins phrased il, thus prevent any