The Detroit times., 1911-11-04
PLENTY OF WORK FOR
RAILROAD COMMISSION
About One Thousand Complaints
a, Year Come Before ~
Board for Settlement.

WASHINGTON, Nov s.--The Inter
state Commerce commission begins
the busy season well up with It's dock
et-suhicient well up to warrant the
belief that before next summers re-
cess comes around there will be lew
cases pending before it. All OF the
commissioners are here, fresh from
vacations spent in different parts OF
the country, and they passed several
days in conference this week TO dls-
pose OF few odds and ends that
have hung over. so that they can
start out with a comparatively clean
state In round numbers, about one
thousand complaints year re- esent
the proposition the commission has
TO handle, not TO mention the numer-
Gus matters not included IN com
plants. Last spring before the com
mission adjourned there were less
than 100 cases pending. Now there
are about 500 on the docket, includ-
ing number of investigations and
rate suspensions instituted by the
commission. Sixty of these inyestl-
cations and suspensions have been
Instituted up 10 date, but many OF
these have been disposed OF
Among the most important matters
pending before the commission are an
investigation OF wool rates from west
ern producing points 10 eastern mar
kets, the Oklahoma packers cases,
involving rates on cattle and packing
house products from the southwest;
the differential freight rate cases, IN
yolving the status of New York, Phil
adelphia, Baltimore and Boston IN
connection with rates on goods tcr eX-
port with respect to the distance oil
several Atlantic coast ports from
producing centers; the pipe line in
vestigation, and the tap line case
which was begun in 1905. and involves
the question whether hundreds OF
short lumber roads in the south and
southwest are entitled 10 receive part
of the rates charged on through ship
ments from points on the short roads
The commission has no cases pend
ing before IL involving rates on sleep
ing cars, telephone or telegraph lines
A recent decision of the Commerce
court that the commission has juris
diction over trolley lines doing inter
state business may dump a lot more
work upon the commission, although
il has been assuming all along tnat II
had such jurisdiction.
The work of the commission under
the long and short clause of the
Mann Elkins law is beginning TO as
sume definite form. More than 5000
applications, covering hundreds OF
thousands of rates, have been received
by the commission from railroads for
relief from the law, which prohibits
conditionally a higher charge for short
haul than for long haul when made
over the same line and in the same
direction. The commission has is
sued 400 orders under this law, some
denying, but many granting reliei
| temporarily from the prohibition OF
! the law, with respect to certain rates
| or groups OF rates.
The passenger fare situation has
been pretty well cleared up, the com
mission granting relief in number
of cases where state twocent fare
laws affect the matter, where car
riers have circuitous routes, and
under other circumstances. The com
mission is about to undertake the
enormous task Of disposing perma
nently OF the long and short haul re
lief applications, If that is possible.
A board created by the commission
is wrestling with this problem. II ex
poets TO have a large number OF the
applications set for hearing before
long.