The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-09-28

peen left in doubt under the previous
law. Pe''ous
aiso invited attention 10 the iniur-
ious delay or remedy which was occa-
stoned to the shippers whenever m
reasonable advances in rates were
made The Interstate Commerce Com
mission might find the advance unraa-
sonable only after long hearing and
aIter II had gone into effect. and after
,ne unreasonable rates had been COL
ieeted for considerable period. 7
suggested that the Interstate Com
nierce Commission might have power
To suspend such an order for GO davs
ana look into its reasonableness. and
that If 1t be found unreasonable Il
should not be permitted.
invited attention also to the COM
plaint of the shippers that they did not
have the power to direct the route over
which their shipment should pass TO
destination. | recommended that this
be given them. subject To such reas-
enable regulation as the commission
might prescribe.
Provisions Made Law.
All these provisions in one form or
another were enacted into the law. In
addition. the House OF Representatives
added TO the Jurisdiction of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission the pow
er To declare reasonable rates i'm re-
spect OF telegraph. telephone, and ex-
press companies. A modification was
made In the Senate regarding the long
and short haul clause, which gave
more discretion to the Interstate Com
merce Commission than that which 1t
had heretofore exercised under the
decisions OF the Supreme Court. The
time during which the commission
could suspend the raising of a rate was
enlarged to four months. and after that,
II necessary, to six months longers in
stead OF the 60 days which | had re-
/ had submitted the ques-
tion Of the proper amendments to the
Attorney General and the Solicitor
General, TO the Chief of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, 20 Commits
sioner Prouty. and to Senator Town
send. then a member Of the Interstate
Commerce Committee of the House OF
Representatives. and l recommended
to Congress for inclusion in the bill
the provisions which they recommend e.
ed to me. The bill was enacted In the
form in which have indicated. There
was certain amendments that recon-
mended that were not approved. one
was a recommendation that no rail-
road company be allowed to acquire
stock I'm q competing railroad compa-
ny, with such provisions for existing
as would obviate confu-
sion, and the second recommendation
In accordance with the platform of the
Party. and the urgent mes
sages of my predecessor, was that
railroads should be able to
make temporary arrangements for
common rates between points without
giving them any binding character a.
1t was thought by Con-
gress, however. that this would seri-
cusly affect the operation of the anti
trust act, and it was not approved.
Another recommendation which
made was one forbdding interstate
commerce railways to issue bonds and
stocks without permission of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission For this
provision was substituted a section
a commission to be appoint
ed by the President To make n report
upon the feasibility and wisdom of
such a provision, and that report will
he submitted to Congress at the nex(
session.
pra..at ctati,tea Suffieient