The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-06-19
COURT UPHOLDS
MISSOURI RATES
U. S. Supreme. Tribunal Renders
Decision in Favor of State.
WINS, six OF NINE CASES
West Virginia Statute Of 1907 Cover
Ing Two Gent Passenger Rate ls
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Rate Law
ls Hit by Ruling.

washington, June It. Nc oupt c"C
court of the United States sustained
the rates fixed by the state of Mis-
souri, as to six companies, the Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy, the Santa
Fe, the Kansas City Southern, the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas, the Chi
cago, Rock Island & Pacific, includ-
ing the st. Louis, Kansas City &
Colorado, and the st. Louis & San
Francisco. In three OF the cases the
rates were held to be confiscatory,
the st. Louis & Hannibal, the Kan.
sas City, Clinton & Springfield, and
the Chicago & Great Western. The
decision sustaining the rates as to
the six companies applies to the st.
Louis & San Francisco, the Missouri
Pacific. st. Louis. Iron Mountain &
Southern. Wabash. Chicago. Mtlwau'
kee & ST. Paul and the Chicago &
Alton. f'. 81. D.
Missouri's Victory In Part.
The decision holding the rates TO
be contiscatory applies to the Quincy,
Omaha & Kansas, City and the ST
Joseph & Grand Island railroads. The
state therefore Is victorious in six
out Of the nine cases involved in the
eighteen suits and the rates fixed
Iby the state on Interstate commerce
are upheld so far as they apply to the
majority OF the important railroads
In the state.
In the case of these railroads with
respect to which the state rates are
held to be confiscatory, the railroad
commissioners and the attorney gen
eral of the state of Missouri are Civ
en- permission to apply to the courts
whenever II shall appear that by rea
son of change in circumstances the
rates fixed by the states act are suf
! ficient to yield reasonable compensa
ton.
West Virginia Two-Cent Law Valid.
The two,cent passenger law of 1901
clared valid blythe Supreme court
In a decision In the case instituted
! by the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad
The railroad sought an injunction
against the enforcement of the Law
largely on the same grounds as those
relied upon by the railroads In othel
states in resisting the efforts OF the
state to regulate interstate com
merce. In the case of West Virginia
however. the conditions we're held tc
be such that rate Of two cents
would provide Inadequate remunera
ton for the railroads because of the
mountainous character of the coun
try The road also contended that Il
was interference of interstate com
merce The interference with inter
state commerce Is the same as thai
presented in the Minnesota cases anC
the decision is the same. No ques
ton of conf1scation is presented. Tht
Judgment of the state court sustain
ing the rate is affirmed.
Kansas Law is Hit.
The Kansas law fixing a minimum
rate for the transportation of oil ant
fixing severe penalties for excess
charges was held unconstitutional BY
the Supreme court Of the United
States in a decision In the case o
the Missouri Pacific Railroad com
pany against J.. w. Tucker OF Cav
ker City, Kan. The railway held tn,
act was oonfiscatoroy and multifar
ious and in violation OF the fedora
constitution. The supreme court o
Kansas UNFOLDING thu law, affirmed
the award of $500 to Tucker. TIL,
Supreme court held the railroad wal
entitled to have the validity Of tn,
rate passed upon and that this could
not be done under the Kansas law
The penalty also was held to, be ex
cessive.
The Oregon rate cases brought b,
the Oregon Railway & Navigation
company and Southern Pacific rail
way we're decided In favor of tn.
state. The Arkansas state rate wal
held valid.
The civil rights act OF 1875 givint
the United States Jurisdiction in tn.
District Of Columbia, In territorie,
and over vessels on the sea, was de
clared invalid by the Supreme court