The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-12-21
RE PORT ON
RAIL ROADS
interstate Commerce
Commission Reviews
Its Achievements

today. the interstate commerce CON-
mission gives particular prominence
| TO the consideration of the eastern
and western freight cases which are
now pending before the commission.
The cases have been assigned for ar
gument on Jan. 8. 1911, and succeed
ing days.
Immediately following the passage
OF tho Mann-Elkins law tho commits
sion began TO exercise the most far
reaching power conferred upon It. the
authority to suspend proposed adyan-
ces In rates pending investigation In
the first half OF 1910 numerous car
rieTs had given notice OF general ad.
Vances In rates.
AS a result of conferences between
the government and the carriers tho
dates of the proposed advances were
suspended. pending the enactment OF
the law. Thereupon two general in
Vestigntions were instituted, one re-
lating to the general advances pro-
posed by eastern and the other to
those proposed by western carriers.
Since tho last annual report the
commission has announced decisions
OF 692 proceedings and 125 cases have
been disposed of. Thus S17 cases
were removed from the commissions s
docket within the year. Geo complaints
were filed and IL proceedings were In
sttutcd by the commission. In ad-
dition 25 proceedings involving sus-
pensions of tariffs were instituted.
The number of complaints taken up
with the commission shows 4 consid-
cradle decrease, 3.S40 having been
filed In 1910, as against 436 the pre-
yious year. Within tho year 1877 in
Sestigatlons and hearings respecting
alleged violations of the law were held
In Washington and various parts OF
the country.
In the IL months ended Nov. so.
1910. 154.5sS tariff publications wore
1lled with the commission, approXi-
mately 10000 hess than the preceding
IL months. The number of schedules
fled was considerably increased by
the filing OF supplements postponing
the effective dates of tariffs which
contained advanced rates now under
investigation BY the commission. In
the same period the number of spc-
cIal permissions granted to make tar
IFS effective on less than statutory
notice was 1910. substantially the
same as in the previous II months.
Special reference Is made TO the
work OF the commission for the es-
tablishment OF uniform freight class
iGcation. Practically all tho rules and
regulations Of separate classif1catione
have been reviewed, revised and uni
fed.
The carriers. the report says. arc
making q sincere effort to harmoniZe
the conflicting features of the yarl-
GUS clnssitications. but 1t will be
necessary to apply the stimulus of
requirement unless satisfactory re-
suits are obtained soon.
Since Dec. l. 1909. A indictments
for criminal violations Of the act to
regulate commerce have been return
ed Forty-three prosecutions havo
been concluded since then, and 81
pleas of guilty were received, The ag-
gregatc OF penalties assessed was
S63.500.
Two yerdicts OF acquittal were rem
dered.
OF the A. indictments returned
within the year % were against car
riers and 19 against shippers OF pas
sengers. or the 43 prosecutions con-
cluded 81 were against carriers and
% against shippers of passengers,
Concerning the matter of prosecution
the report says;
The fight against discrimination is
by no means Won, practices still re-
manning which are more insldious and
more difficult of eXtirpation than open
rcbating, by reason of the fact that
they are hidden in contractual ar
rangements entirely legal except for
the effect produced To speak general
". these arrangements depend for
their virtue upon some unifaction of
shippers and carriers, by which ship
pers secure an interest in carriers
profits"
A part Of the report is devoted TO
q consideration OF certain suits, nota-
bly, the coal car distribution case. the
ham-Hanna-Munger case, the
Portland gateway case and various
lumber cases Most of these have been
decided by tho higher courts in favor
OF the commission
By the act OF juno IS, 1910. tele-
graph and telephone companies doing
an interstate business were placed un-
der the Jurisdiction OF the commission.
Steps have already been taken for
the formulation OF a system OF oper-
ating tariffs and II is expected that
this system will become effective on
July l. 1911.
Concerning the application of the
law as TO telegraph and telephone
companies the report says:
There are from $4,000 to 10000
telephone companies which make pro-
vision for interstate communication.
and the commission is in doubt as
10 whether it is the intent of con.
gress to place all these companies
under it's supervision and control. No
opinion is expressed at this time as
10 the administrative Interpretation
that should be placed upon the law in
this regard"
The wisdom and urgent need OF
proper Legislation for the control OF
railway capitalization are urged upon
congress,
Inquiry into railway accidents with.
In the year ended June 80. 1910. shows