Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-15

| Si'ould not issue injunction SuSpendinS
orders of the commission, except in
cases wEere irreparable damage would
ensue. The provision of both the
House and the Senate bills in regard
| to the appearance of parties in pro-
ceedlngS in the commerce court by in
| terTening or on motion or otherwise,
| was retained.
! Under a Senate amendment adopted
every railroad will be required to desig-
nate an agent in Washington to re-
ceive service in any proceeding against
| the railroads. The conference report
retains the House provision requiring
railroads to provide reasonable facil-
ties for operating through routes and
for the exchange and return of rolling
stock used therein,
1t also retains the House provision
requiring railroads to establish and en-
| force reasonable classification of prop
erty for transportation and regulations
and practices affecting classifications,
rates, or tariffs. tickets, receipts and
bills Of lading.
The provision placing telegraph and
telephone and cable companies under
| the jurisdiction of the commission is
| that adopted by the House with fur
| Their provision agreed upon in confer
ence, that messages may be classified
| into day, night, repeated. unrepeated,
letter, commercial, press, government
and such other classes as are just and
| reasonable and authorizing different
rates to be charged for different classes
Of messages. In respect to the use of
telephone, telegraph, and cable franks.
| it is provided that they shall not be
| prohibited when used by officers,
agents, employees and their families. of
! corporations within the scope of the
| interstate commerce action. The House
| amendment authorizing the owner of a
! lateral branch line of railroad. to re-
quire a main line OF railroad to make
| proper connections was retained. To
| he House provision on the subject of
ong and short hauls, which is designed
| 10 prohibit railroads from charging a
higher rate for q shorter than for a
| Onger distance, was added the follow
| ng:
| Whenever a carrier by railroad shall
! n competition with water route or
| 'outes reduce the rates on the car
'iage of any species of freight to or
| rom competitive points, it shall not be
1
ess after hearing by the Interstate
Commerce Commission it shall be found
hat such proposed increase rests upon
hanged conditions other than the
| Elimination of water competition
| This provision was adopted in lieu
4 far more radical provisions intro
| luced by Senators Simmons and Bur-
on and adopted by the Senate.
1 ,n,,t ,1>y,,it I'd l,y
| Mr.. Shively of Indiana, authorizing
| 'hippers to sue a railroad for damages
esulting from Interpretations of rates,
vas eliminated by the conferees.
The House amendment to Section 10
f the interstate commerce act to pre-
scribe a penalty for attempting to OBJ
| ain advantage in the matter of rates,
ne same as for actually obtaining it
| through false representations, etc, was
| etained. The cOnfereeS also accepted
he House provision striking out the
| ;peciic language of the present law as
o the character Of objects about which
COMPLAINTS may be filed before the
commission and authorizing the COM
MISSION to make Investigations on it's
| 'wn motion to the same extent as
hough complaint had been filed.
In retaining the Senate provisions au-
thoriZing the suspension OF an increased
ate for a period of 10 months and putting
he budren of proof upon the railroad as
to the reasonableness of such increase,
the conferees added a provision as FOL
lows:
.The commission shall give to the hear
me- and decision of such question prefer
,nce over all other questions pending pc
fore it and decide the same as speedily
rs possible
Senator Painters amendment requiring
the issuance of way bills indicating the
| DID and the increased rates and to require
| .ailroads to reimburse the shippers for
| the amount of the increase in the event
the commission declared it to be unjust
vas stricken out The House provision
| authorizing the commission to make
through routes between suburban and in
| erurban and steam railroads was retain
| ID. as was the Senate provision giving
| to the shipper the right to say over what
railroads his freight should be routed
| Railroads and their agents will be pro-
| libited, through the retention of senate
| amendment, from disclosing information
| concerning shippers business except
under due processes of courts. The pen
| ,ltv for violations of this provision were
liked by the conferees at not more than
| 1000 for each offence
| The conferees struck out the Senate
| provision requiring the commission 10
| make an analysis of classifcatlons ana
tariffs every six months.
| Senator Overman's amendment in ref
arence to introductory injunction re-
| ,training the action of the state officers
upon the ground of the unconstitution'
| llity of state statutes was accepted by
| he conferees.
| -. A. IIouSa and Senate provide