The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-25
An Eighty Per Cent Reduction
in Some Cases Is Made.
NOW TO HIGH COURT.
Attorney John Dawson Secures
a Writ of Mandamus.
Case to Be Fought in Supreme
Tribunal by Companies.

The state board of railroad commits
s1oners handed down the decision in
the express rate case, granting the re-
auctions prayed for in the petition fled
oy John s. Dawson, attorney for the
board. Acting promptly upon the rul-
ing of the board, John Dawson today
applied to the supreme court for a writ
OF mandamus to compel the express
companies to proceed with all con-
Ven1ent speed to put into effect a.
scheduIe of rates in compliance with
the order of the railroad board.
Service was secured upon officials of
the f1ve express companies today, and
this case will go right into the supreme
court, where Mr.. Dawson wants it TO
go. AS the reduction in rates applies
only to intrastate business the state
supreme court has first and final juris-
dictton in the matter.
Reasons for Action
In giving his reasons for bringing the
suit so promptly in the supreme court,
Mr.. Dawson says:
Plaintiff brings this action in the
supreme court instead Of in some sub
ordinate tribunal having concurrent
jurisdiction because it is one of great
Importance to the plaintiff and it's
people; and because an early and con-
elusive determination of the issues
by this honorable court Of last resort
Is of great Importance, and because it
involves the determination of the au-
thority of the board of railroad COM
miSSioners of the state Of Kansas over
express companies; and for a further
reason that a resort in the first in
stance to some subordinate tribunal
having concurrent jurisdiction would
be followed by an appeal to this honor
able court thus greatly damaging the
people of the state who are forced to
pay exorbitant rates and charges now
in force pending such appeal"
Big Cuts Made.
The reductions made in express
rates vary from no reduction at all to
an so per cent cut. For instance. the
board ordered IL per cent reduction
on the following articles shipped un-
der merchandise rates Agricultural
implements and machines, ammuni-
ton, bank notes. batteries, pies and
cakes, burial caskets and collins, ce-
real foods, corpses, fireworks, furni-
ture, glass articles, ice cream. live
stock, musical instruments. newspa-
pers, pictures. typewriters and vehicles.
A reduction of 151A per cent was
made on the following articles: Ber-
ries, bread. bulbs. dressed calves,
cheese, condensed milk, corn on cob,
crackers, eggs, poultry. fish. fruit,
hides, honey, horseradish. matted ex-
tracts, meat (fresh or cured), nuts,
oysters. pop corn, poultry Give or
dressed), poultry food rabbits (dead),
sausage, seeds, STOCK 1000, vegetables
and nursery stock.
Minimum Charge.
Parts of agricultural implements
valued at SO or less shall be charged
for at merchandise pound rates at a
minimum charge of 80 cents
All classes of bonds when shipped
by public officials to state officials at
Topeka shall be charged for at 10
cents per $1,000 face value between
any points in Kansas.
The decision of the supreme court
in this most important case will be
looked for with general interest. If
Mr.. Dawson wins his case, and he has
made a fine start, it means a saving of
many thousands Of dollars per year to
the public.