Arizona republican., 1911-07-24
Investigation Of Express Bus
mess by \. 4. R. c.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMAN
Arizona Railway Commits
sion One of Seven Com
prising a Board to Con-
duct Hearings and Com
pile Information.

z. S. DePass, secretary of the Ari-
zona Railway commission left last
night via the Santa Fe for Chicago,
for an indefinite stay. He goes to
attend a session of the newly created
executive committee of the National
Association of Railway Commission
ers, TO which he was recently ap-
pointed.
At the last annual convention Of the
national association of railway COM
missioners a committee composed OF
one commissioner from each state
and territory, was appointed to make
an investigation of express rates and
conditions generally. governing the
express business of the country. Mr.
DePass was named as the commits
sioner for Arizona.
This body was found TO be too
large and unwieldy to successfully
perform the functions expected of 1t
So an executive committee has been
.appointed composed of the following
named seven gentlemen:
c. F. Staples of Minnesota. chair
man; Martin s. Decker of New York,
10. z. Gothlin, of Ohio, Halford Erlck-
son of Wisconsin, L. b. Finn or
Kentucky. E 5. DePass of Arizona
and Orville f. Berry of Illinois. Inc
committee will meet in Chicago July
9th and the length of its sessions
cannot now be determined. 1t is pos
sible that after the Chicago meeting
sessions will be held in some other
ulaces if desirable. The duty as
ffen TG
a careful study of conditions govern
ing the express business, rates, etc.
the country over, and emoody lts
findings in a report TO be made To
the National Association of Railway
commissioners at its next annual
meeting.
To accomplish this the Commute
| is extending an invitation TO any
and all persons who are interested
in the express business, either as
comuany officials, railway officials
nubIic service commissioners or as
shippers. or to any other person VINO
desires to be heard on the subject
of the express rates or the express
business. The representatives of the
express companies are invited 10 pre-
sent facts and conditions from their
view points as are the patrons OF the
companies. 1t is planned to compile
the data and report it to the Natlonal
| Association as a sort of hand book
for its use hereafter; volume IhdI
will give state commissions generally
n Great deal of information needed
| in the conduct of their business. Il
e,reat many facts can be compiled
that will be generally useful to all
The committee proposes To near
Testimony on any timely subject II
NAV decide to take up In respect
of rates or other matters. II IL
shall he developed at the Chicago
hearing that the committee can to
advantage hold other hearings at
/ convenient central points it Will call
them. otherwise it Will 1lnlsn It's n
in that CITY. 1t is the initiating Oh
, new movement in the study oil the
Icxnress business and the committee
Ia. not only inviting the attendance
Iof all concerned but will be glad
lstate Commerce Commission has at-
lno,,nced that the Interstate Commerce
lCommission is to undertake similar
lime of investigation but that Will be
Ian entirely different enterprise.
The subject Of this investigation Is
lone of national interest and impor-
tance at the present time and owing
l+o tho case of the Arizona Railway
commission against Wells Fargo q
leo. recently heard in Phoenix, Arl-
lzona is more vitally interested tharl
lanv other state. The way the Arl-
iona case was presented to the Inter
Estate Commrce Commission has at
ltracted a great deal of attention and
lfavorabe comment As is well known
1.-THE case was prepared largely by Mr.
IDePass who was the chief witness
for the complainant. and undoubtedly
lhis selection as one Of the sever
members of the executive committee
lof the national association. is due II
large part to his efficient work II
lis not only a deserved recognition
Iof the efforts OF Mr.. 'DePass but II
lpIaces Arizona in the limelight in