The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-06-19
us COURT UPHOLDS
STATE RAIL RATES
Principles Laid Down in Minneso-
ia Ruling Adhered to.
TWO-CENT FARE SUSTAINED
Supreme Tribunal Declares Missouri,
Arkansas, West Virginia and Ore
gon Laws Are VaIld-Judee
Hughes Gives Decision.

Washington. June l7.-Without vary.
Ing dot from the principles laid
down last week in the Minnesota rate
cases, the Supreme court Of the Uni
ted States upheld state railroad legis-
lation in Missouri, Arkansas, Oregon
and West Virginia.
This legislation included two-cent
passenger laws in Missouri, Arkansas
and West Virginia; maximum freight
rate laws in Missouri and Arkansas,
and freight rates out Of Portland in the
Oregon cases. The only exception 10
the sweeping approval of state statutes
was in the case of several weaker
roads in Missouri
The Kentucky case was not decided.
II involves an attack upon state rates
from river points to inland distillery
cities, and involves, in addition, an at
tack on the constitutionality o. the
form of the McChord act, enabling the
state railroad commission to fix rea-
sonable rates on intrastate business.
decision in this case may be forth
coming when the court meets again in
October.
Hughes Gives Decision.
Justice Hughes announced the deci.
sion in the rate cases. as he did in the
Minnesota cases week ago. Whei-
ever the point was raised that the
state laws interfered with interstate,
commerce the justice referred to his
Minnesota rate decision. He disap-
pointed any who believed the court
might, in some way. modify that dc2i-
sion.
Two Rulings Brief.
The Oregon and West Virginia cases
were decided in favor of the states IN
few words. the only point raised by
the railroads being that the laws inter
fered with interstate commerce.
Justice Hughes went fully into an
examination of claims liz the Missouri
and Arkansas cases that the property
of the railroads devoted to intrastAte
business would be confiscated
AS result, the state rates will be-
come operative on the Chicago, Bur
lington & Quincy, the Atchison, Tope
ka & Santa Fe, the Kansas City South.
ern, the Missouri Kansas & Texas, the
Chicago, Rock Island e. Pacific (includ
Ing the st. Louis, Kansas City & Colo.
radoj, the st. Louis & San Francisco,
the ST Louis Southwestern. the Mis-.
souri, Pacific, the st. Louis Iron Moun-
tain & Southern, the Wabash, the Chi
cago, Milwaukee & St Paul, ard the
Chicago & Alton.
For the present the rates will not
become operative on the St Louis &
Hannibal, the Kansas City, CLIFTON &
Springfield, the Chicago Great West
City and the St Joseph & Grand Is
land.
Coming to an apportionment OF ex'
penses, Justice Hughes said the plan
adopted by the lower court Of applying
the revenue basis was open 10 the
same objection as in the Minnesota
cases.
However. as to the ST Louis & Han
nibal and the Kansas City. Clinton 4 |
Springfield, he said the experts of both |
the state and the railroads united in |
stating no basis could be found upon |
which the proposed rates would yield |
an adequate return.
As to the Chicago Great Western, he |
said the errors of valuation and appor.
tionment were not sufficient to war
rant n reversal of the finding of the |
lower court that the rates were confs- |
catory.
The rates as to the Quincy. Omaha
Il Kansas City and the St oseph &
Grand Island were annulled because Of
a stipulation between the state and
railroads that the finding as TO the
Chicago Great Western should control
them