El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-16

II EGULATIONG as It does the az
X fairs of common carrier cor
pOratiOns having an annual In
come OF approximately $4,000, 10000
the interstate commerce commission is
one Of the most important Of the indie
pendent branches Of the government
service. 1t has governmental supervi-
sion over all Of the common carriers
OF the United States which do an in
terstate commerce business, and which
are included in the definition Of com
mon carriers written in the interstate
commerce law. This not only includes
the railroads doing an interstate bust
ness, but also such steamboat lines as
operate in interstate commerce in con-
mecuOn with railroads. under common
control, management or arrang cement.
IT also includes the interstate opera
lions Of the express companies, sleep
ing car companies, telegraph, cable
and telephone companies wireless tel
egraph companies and pipe lines, car
rying other commodities than water
and gas
The railway lines which it regulates
have an aggregate mileage OF more
than 100000 miles. They carry approx
imately SO0,0eo00O passengers ana
more than 1900, 200, 600 tons of freight
The distance which these passengers
are carried Is equivalent approximate
ly 10 100000 miles for one passen-
ser, and the freight transportation is
equivalent TO the task OF carrying one
tone Of freight more than 200, 06O, 600
miles The average ton OF freight is
moved one mile for less than one cent
Gives InfOrmatfOn Readily.
Much Of the time Of the commits
sion Is taken up in the Interpretation
Of interstate commerce laws for the
benefit Of shippers and carriers
court will not answer a Hypothetical
question or decide an imaginary case,
but the interstate commerce commits
sion VIII turn aside from the red tape
nf nan civ q n
ties interested the best Information Il
possesses with reference TO matters
over which II has Jurisdiction If
question arises which involves mat
tiers Of common interest or frequent [
rulings, general rules are published in {
formally and the opinions OF the com
mission are printed ana placed IN the I
hands Of all who need them By this !
means a comprehensive code OF rules 2
IS in process Of development, the OBJ /
servaucs Of which will operate to I
promote Just ana impartial conduct on I
the psrG Of both shippers and car 1
-Four Thousand Complaints Annually. 4
One Of the principal functions Of the /
commission is to settle differences be {
tween the common carriers and their 4
patrons In doing this, It receives two /
kinds OF complaints, formal and IN /
formal. informal complaints are /.
largely in the majority. About 1000 !
Of this nature are filed an L
nuaIly. These complaints may be I
filed by any citizen having a grew /
auce against a common carrier. They /
may reach the commission simply in /
the form of a letter stating their I
grievance II the complaint is found I
to be justified. after an informal in 4
Testigation. the offending carrier re-
ceives a recommendation from the ]
commission that il remove the ground
Of complaint These complaints range /
all the way from an alleged over I
charge for a railroad ticket to an IN I
method OF handling thou
sands OF tons OF coal They involve no /
expense TO the person filing them, and I
usually result in a satisfactory ad-
iustment OF the matter at issue.
Formal complaints cover every sort
Of subject from a claim for reparatiOn
involving a few dollars, to a com plant
gainst the entire tariff of a railroad l
involving millions, or the practices
and regulations Of a large number OF
carriers. Sometimes individuals and
corporations make these complaints
At other times cities and towns make /
hem
During an average year approx