Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-06-17
Minnesota Rate Decision.


several states can fix the charges for
passenger and freight traffic within
the boundaries of each respective
state for railways and other similar
public service business is matter of
vital importance, not only to the
public utility corporations, but also
to the people of this country.
We have felt that there was no es-
cape from the proposition that there
had never been delegated to the
Federal government the power or
authority to legislate upon such mat
tiers as the transportation of either
goods or persons, wholly within the
borders of each respective states I'M
less by SO doing, it directly affected
interstate commerce. The railway
company sought to show that the
fixing of rates for traffic within the
state necessarily affected interstate
commerce and the rates that could
and ought to be charged for inter-
state traffic in the carrying of pas
sengers or freight for hire. The SUI
preme court, however, held that it
does not follow as a necessary result
that the fixing of the charges for in
terstate traffic in any way fixes or in
terfereS with proper charge for in
terstate commerce or the caring for
interstate passenger traffic.
We think that it is conceded gen.
orally that the subject of passenger
and freight rates is proper subject
for regulation by the government,
either state or national, and that the
most competent and fair way to deal
with the question is through and by
commission representing the govern
ment composed of men of ex-
per ence. skill and competency, to
make reasonable and just decisions
concerning these matters; men who
can discharge their duties in a judi
| cial manner and be continued in
office so that their experience will in
crease their efficiency from year to
year.
However, as business proposition,
we can not believe that dealing with
railway systems and the traffic over
the same by having a separate COM
mission in each state into which the
system extends, is anything but a
patch work proposition, lacking uni
formity and, besides being very harass-
ing to the railway and other public
utility corporations, leaves the opera
ton of the railways on no scientific
and uniform basis. In addition to
the several state commissions under
which large railway system is con-
Quoted, there is also the interstate
commerce commission to look after
and adjust all interstate business of
such railway system. Each state
commission may and do differ as to
what is right and just in their decis-
ions and conclusions in reference to
the various matters which properly
come within their respective several
jurisdictions. There is no appeal
from such commissions and no GEN.
trail authority to which an appeal can
be taken SO that the railway system
will know what to expect as an ulti-
mate result in reference to any parti-
cular charge for passenger rates,
freight traffic or any question which
companies may have as many differ
ent decisions and conclusions in re-
spect to the business as there are
different commissions with which
such public service corporations have
to deal with in the carrying on of
their business.
We firmly believe that railway
company and it's entire business, in
Guiding its terminals in Chicago and
it's branch lines in Nebraska and
Montana, and all the business of
every kind done on the same, should
be under the regulation of one gov
ernmental tribunal or commission so
that the business i'm the different de-
partments in every phase viii be
properly adjusted in its regulation to
the entire railway system; that inter-
state business could then be properly
adjusted in its proper relation to in
terstate business so that each depart
ment and phase of service would be
so regulated that it would be charged
with and receive compensation ac-
cording to Judgment and review of
the entire railway business of each
respec tive system and the relation of
every part of the service to the whole.
The railway and other public service
corporations ought not to be harassed
by these many commissions which is
the material result of the present
system of handling these matters
without charging that the several
commissions are trying TO be any,
thing but fair in their decisions.
The placing of these large public SER
vice corporations under central
commission (even though an amend
ment of the federal constitution be
necessary is the only common sense
business proposition in relation to
this matter The system that is now
being developed and which the
supreme court has lust decided to he