Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-03-05

- The act of congress approved June
80, 1906, GA Stat. 5SI, commonly
known as The Hepburn Act" made
pipelines common carriers and placed
them under the jurisdiction of the in
terstate commerce commission. inst as
the railroads had heretofore peen.
More than fifty pipelines, including
the Gulf and Texas, admitted that they
were common carriers, and filed their
tariffs under this law with the inter
state commerce commission, setting
forth their rates, rules and regula-
tons. These rates were admittedly
very high. The rules and regulations
were evidently formulated for the eX-
press purpose Of preventing the use OF
the pipelines as common carriers.
(And they are right now accomplish
ing that very object very effectively
These tariffs went into effect Just
as the pipelines had written them. The
commission has no power to change
tariff after it has gone into effect
except after trial similar in all re-
spects to an ordinary lawsuit.
As result of numerous complaints
. against these pipeline tariffs, the in
terstate commerce commission, on It's
own motion, instituted an investiga-
ton into the reasonableness of all
June s. 1911. This case is known as
Docket No. 4199. In the Matter OF
Pipelines All pipelines in the United
States. 81 in all, were made respond
ents in this case.
During 1911 hearings were had in
Los Angeles, Cal; Houston, Texas;
Tulsa, Okla. and several eastern cities.
Numerous witnesses-practica4y all OF
them for the pipelines eX-
amined and a record of about lO.OOO
pages made.
At hearing in New York city in
January, 1912, it developed that the
Prairie Oil x Gas Co. and several
other pipelines had never filed any
tariffs to be investigated. They flatly
refused to file them on the ground
that the law making them common
carriers was unconstitutional and that
the interstate commerce commission
had no jurisdiction over them. The
commission then announced that it
would suspend the investigation into
the rates, rules and practices, tempor-
ar!ly and proceed to settle the ques-
ton of its jurisdiction over these pipe
lines that had refused to file tariffs.
June 3. 1912, the commission de-
cided that it had jurisdiction over
these pipelines and ordered them to
file their tariffs. "a !. c. c. !.
Instead Of complying with this order
the pipelines secured a temporary in
junction from the commerce court re-
straining the commission from en-
forcing this order. March II, 1913,
the commerce court held the law to
be unconstitutional and made the in
junction permanent. 204 Fed. 79S.
The government took an appeal to
the supreme court of the United
, States. on June 22, 1914, that court
held the law to be constitutional and
that the pipelines, (eXcepting only the
Uncle Sam), were subject to the juris-
diction of the interstate commerce
commission. and thereafter these pipe
lines filed their first tariffs within
the time fixed by the commission.
November IA, 1914, the interstate
commerce commission made an order
to resume the consideration and trial
of Docket No. 4199, In the Matter of
Pipelines, taking up the case where it
was dropped in New York in January.
1912. At the time the rate part of
this case was dropped, the commits
sion announced to the attorneys for
the pipelines that after the jurisdic-
tional questions were settled the COM
mission would give the oil men
themselves, the producers. an oppor-
tunity to criticise whatever you have
submitted to us and show to us what
would be reasonable rates, rules and
regulations covering all those lines
that we find to be common carriers"
This Opportunity is now open to
you. Do you desire to take advantage
of it?
The rates in force in the Mid
Continent field of which the produc-
ers complain are: