Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-21
CLERICAL RATES
ARE KNOCKED OUT
Public Service Commission Rules
That They Can Not Be Granted
Inside the State
AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION
Administrative Ruling Made Last
Night by the Public Service
Commissioners
AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION

William N. Trinkle counsel for. the
Public Service Commission, having ad-
vised that body that the lntrastate
transportation of ministers of religion
free or at reduced rates is prohibited
by the Constitution of Pennsylvania,
the commission to-day made the fol-
lowing administrative ruling:
AT the hearing held by the COM
! mission on January 20, 1914. at Har-
risburg, reasons were presented by
| ministers of religion for an adminis-
trative ruling by the commission that
common carriers may accord such
f, ministers the privilege of free trans
portation or reduced rate transpor-
tation between points within the boun-
| dairy of the State of Pennsylvania.
Common carriers may lawfully
| transport ministers of religion between
the States free or at reduced rates, but
| this Is explicitly warranted by the
provision of the Federal interstate
commerce act as amended by way of
express exception and the anti
| discrimination clause of that act of
| Congress.
TRANSPORTATION of passengers wholly
between points in Pennsylvania is gov
erned by the provision of the law of
this State.
THE Constitution of Pennsylvania
contains an explicit provision prohibit
ing common carriers from granting
free passes or passes at a discount to
any person other than those within the
meaning of the exception therein ex-
pressed. and the Constitution further
entoins upon the Legislature the duty
to carry such prohibition into effect by
means of appropriate legislation.
THE act of July 26. 1913, known as
the public service company law, de-
timing the powers and duties of public
service companies of various kinds, in
cluding common carriers, and provid-
ing for the regulation of such public
service companies, provides by Sec
ton s of Article III that 1t shall be
unlawful for any common carrier to
charge. demand, collect or receive, di-
rectly or indirectly, by any special
rate, rebate. drawback, abatement or
other device whatsoever, from any
person or corporation, for any service
| rendered, greater or less compen-
sation or sum than it shall demand,
charge, collect or receive from any
other person or corporation for a like1
and contemporaneous service under
substantially similar circumstances and
conditions
| Carriers are likewise prohibited by
! Section of Article III of said act
from making or giving amy undue or
unreasonable preference or advantage
in favor of or to any person or cor
| ticular kind or description of traffic or
service In any respect whatsoever etc
1T may be, and proba bly, is, true in
many instances, more especially in the
country districts of the State, that the
monetary reward received by clergy
| men for their service is Inadequate to
enable them to meet their necessary
expenses and transportation fare The
commission has also given due consid-
Grafton to the force of the argument
that ministers of religion are CARRYING
| on work of great public benefit, but
we are unable to differentiate between
| ministers and other classes of the com
munity to such an extent In that re-
spect as would Justify a discrimination
In rates of fare for transportation upon
| that ground.
1t is not improbable that under the
requirement that ministers ply the
same fare as other passengers for a
IKE service their pecuniary compen-
sation VIII IN the long run rise to a
proper level of adjustment.
1T is the opinion of the commission,
| after careful consideration, that the
according to ministers of free intra-
state transportation or such transpor-
tation at reduced rates is discrimi-
natory and Illegal under Sections
and 8 of Article III of the public SER
vice company law and that the COM
mission is without warrant to other
wise regard it under the present public
| policy of this State as fixed by law.
The commission has concluded so to
rule enthusiastically in this case.
1T may be that should application
be made to the Legislature at the next
or some subsequent session means NAV
be found by that body to afford the
relief desired by the applicants" 4