Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-15
Public Service Commission and
Railroad Rate Measures.
Both Originated in House and
Sent Separately 10 Senate.
Concessions on Both Sides Two
Other Cases Reach Agreement.

Concord, y. H., April 1i.-After all
day conferences the Senate and the
Housc reached an agreement late to-
day on the Public Service Commission
bill and the railroad rate BILL both
of which have been the cause of dis
sension between the two branches OF
the Legislature for many days. and
tonight pots acts We're passed and sent
to the Governor for his approval. Both
sides made concessions.
Both the Public Service Commission
hill and the railroad rate bill originat-
ed in the House anG were sent to the
Senate separately. The Senate. how
ever, combined the two and until TO-DAY
had held cut for their passage in that
fern. Tonight the Senate agreed to
separation if the House would agree to
certain amendments. The two bills
were tNen passed to be engrossed.
The railroad rate bill as adopted
provides that the Public Service Com
mission shah investigate the whole
subject of railroad rates, and especially
as to those rates, Of the Boston &
= Maine Road, which arc admitted to be
7 illega,. and report its findings TO the
! next session of the Legislature. Mean
while the rates now in force are legal
ized until July !, 1919. by which time
the commission report will have been
completed.
Two features opposed ny the Bos-
ton & Maine. one the right of the
shipper 10 recover If the commission
finds that certain rates now in force
are EXCESSIVE and the other the fail
ure of the bill to give the railroad the
toI,t
bill as passed tonight.
Agreements were also reached on
two other important measures. both
of which were passed. the permanent
Tax Commission bill and the employ
er's liability and working mems COM
pensation act. In the former instance
the House had held out for the ap-
point,nent of the commissioners by the
Governor while the Senate amended
the bill to have them named by the
sprane court. The Senate amendment
was finally adopted. =
Both branches agreed to adjourn al
noon tomorrow. The acts passed to-
night are being engrossed and will
reach the Governor in the morning
and Immediately he has approved ot
them If he so does. he will proroguc
the Legislature.
Concord. y. H.. April li.-In a state
mert~ issued tonight, on the eve of the
closing of the Legislature, Governor
Robert +. Bass reviews the work of the
lawmaking body and declares that the
legislation enacted marks new era in
tho government of New Hampshire
The work of this session of the New
To-. yse.l.y .yra 4 s.t,.
great victory for representative gov
ernipent" said Governor Bass. Il am
especially we'll pleased with the pas
sage of the public service commission
bill and with the fair settlement of the
railroad rate Question. The rate bill
believe protects every right of the
shipper and is fair to the railroad. The
passage OF the bill should take the
discussion out of politics forever.
The platform promises of the leg
lsiators have been carried out in all
but two instances. The income tax
bill and the act to provide for the di-
rect election of delegates to national
conventions were killed
ihe platform measures that were pass
ed We're: a bill TO prohibit campaign
contributions by corporations: to provide
Tor purity of elections and prevent brib-
cry; providing for publicity of campaign
receipts and expenditures: creating pub
lie service commission; creating a perma-
nent tax commission to equalize taxation:
providing for workingmen's compensa-
tioiis& defining the duties of the attorney
general and providing that he devote
more time to the business of the state:
assembling a constitutional convention:
increasing automobile license fees and ap-
tpropfiating the fees to the maintenance
lAf highways.
In addition to these platform measures
there have been enacted laws protecting
child laborers; regulating baby farms;
providing for the purchase OF Crawford
Notch extending the protection from for
est fires; providing for the enforcement