The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-06-08
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES UPHOLDS LOUISIANA
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
BENEFITS SHREVEPORT
Gives Jobbers Of that City Better
Rates Into Texas. Texas Law Allow.
ing Attorneys Fees to be Paid by
Railroads Upheld as Constitutional.

Washington, D. c., June S.-The L.
5. supreme court today upheld the con-
stitutionality Of the Texas law allow
ing attorneys fees to be paid by
railroads in successful suits against
the road and forbade railroads charg-
ing delivery of cars on Industrial rail-
road tracks in Los Angeles. Hundreds
Of other cities have similar free car
tracks.
The court also upholds the Shreye.
port rate case The fight for better
rates for Shreveport iobbers into
Texas, promised from the start to
establish a precedent governing the
future trade of cities along state boun-
daries SO important was the matter
deemed to be that the Louisiana r.
r. Commission itself initiated the con
test before the Interstate Commerce
Commission in behalf of the jobbers
along the Louisiana-Texas border.
The Louisiana Commission COM
planned to the Interstate Commerce
Commission in March, 1911, that the
class rates charged by the railroad
for transportation in westerly direc-
tion from Shreveport to points in
Texas were unjustly discriminatory
in that they were much greater than
the rates. contemporaneously charged
for the transportation of like traffic
from Dallas and Houston, in Texas,
to the same points. They complained,
in substance that a trade wall had
been erected around Texas and that
outside jobbers were not permitted
to enter into the enclosed field
The Houston, East and West Texas
Railway Company and the Texas Il
Pacific Railway Company did not de-
ny the discrimination, but answered
that the Shreveport rates were rea-
sonable in themselves, and that the
Texas rates were not voluntary but
were prescribed by the Texas Railroad
commission. The Interstate Com
merce Commission issued an order,
holding that an unjust discrimination
existed and directed the railways
either to lower the interstate rate =.
from Shreveport to Texas points or
to increase the Texas rates from Dal-
las and Houston to other Texas points
so as to remove this discrimination.
The railways vainly endeayored to in
duce the Commerce Court to enjoin
the enforcement of this order.
One of the principal points Of con-
tention in the case was whether this
was a voluntary or an involuntary dis
by the railways against
The railways contended
that it was involuntary because they
were directed by the Texas railroad
to put into force the low
Texas rates. For each higher rate
charged, the railroads contended they
would be liable under Texas law for
a $4,000 penalty to the state, and from
1925 to $500 to the shipper. In addi-
ton a fine of $4,000 might be forth
coming for failing to obey an order
Of the state railroad commission.
The government on the other hand
,ontended that the Texas rates were
because the railways had
not appealed to any court or com
mission to have the Texas rates set
aside.
Another contention was whether the
interstate Commerce laws were so
lrafted as to confer upon the commits
sion jurisdiction over intrastate rates
hat might affect interstates rates.