Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1920-11-17
COMMISSION
MAY RAISE RATES

| Whether the State of Nevada may
exercise constitutional control over
its own commerce through the medi-
UNI of the legislature, public service
commission, courts or by direct vote
of the people or whether the decision
or order Of any state authority cover
ing rates and regulations for public
! utilities shall be superseded by inter-
state commerce commission order will
be determined through the filing of a
complaint with the federal commission
against the Nevada commissions or
der denying increased rates to the
carriers.
Although the local commission has
not received copy OF the complaint, it
has been notified by Secretary Nc
Gintyof the Interstate Commerce
Commission of the latter's intention to
hold hearing on the relation of Ne
vada rates and fares to interstate
rates and fares. will expect evidence
as to reasonableness and propriety of
existing rates and fares as bearing on
issues of alleged undue prejudice and
disadvantage to persons and localities
and unjust discrimination against in
terstate and foreign commerce Sec
rotary McGinty's wire states, q and as
basis for prescribing rates and fares
under section Is of Interstate Com
merce Act il that becomes necessary.
Chairman J. F. Shaughnessy of the
Nevada commission, has notified the
federal body that without abdicating
state control and regulation over its
own commerce and without conceding
the jurisdiction of section Is hear
ing is welcomed and requests that it
be set at Carson City for December l.
He requested copy of the carriers
complaint and asked whether Nevada
could counter-plead on the question
of the ressonableness and discrimina-
tory character of interstate rates and
valuations against Nevada producers
and consumers or whether it woudld
be confined to the findings OF the fed
eral commission when the interstate in
creases were allowed.
The conflict OF jurisdiction grew out
of the refusal of the Nevada commits
sion to authorize freight rate and pas
senger fare increases on intrastate
business to conform with increases oil
Is per cent i'll freight rates and 20
per cent i'll passenger fares allowed
the railroads by the federal body.
Chairman Shaughncssy stated that an
additional railroad tax OF $483,OOO
would be imposed upon the public il
the increase were allowed that would
in effect place jurisdiction over the
states commerce in the hands of the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
No compromise is possible" Mr.
Shaughnssy stated, because the mat
ter OF the retention OF state rights is
involved. To concede to the federal
government the right to govern our
own commerce would be the conces-
sion of right which was retained
when the federal constitution was
framed and adopted and this the Ne
vada Public Service Commission, as
the peoples servant in the matter
does not intend to do
THE whole question rcvolves about
Section Is of the Interstate Com
merce Act and this section gives that
commission the power to prescribe
rates, classifications. regulations or
practices, the law of any state or the
decision of any state authority to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
Gases of New York and Illinois
Commissions involving the same issues
OF discrimination are now before the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
in case of an adverse decision will be
taken to the United States Supreme
Court
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITS
SION.