The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-12-02
CHANCE FOR PEOPLE
To MAINTAIN RIGHTS

Continued from Page One)

you are interested, such as ore, con-
centrates, merchandise, materials,
supplies. products of the soil and the
forest, etc.
(b) To what extent your business
and the communities and consumers
dependent thereon are affected, and
to what extent this will affect the
development and prosperity of our
commercial. agricultural and mining
communities throughout Nevada.
(c) Also show the effect said in
creased rates will have in the cost
of milling, smelling and refining, as
well as the mining of ores. AS min
ing is the paramount industry of Ne
vada, will you kindly estimate to
what extent u producers of live
stock and the products of the soil and
forest are being and will be affected
by the closing down or inability to
increase production in various min
ing camps?
I'D Also. will you please take up
with representatives of commercial.
producing and shipping interests in
yOul lCiIltOi1 anu nave tutli JOln Ill
making a statement as to the effect
of a continuation of the present in
creased interstate rates, effective Au-
gust 26. and also to what extent they
and their communities will be affect
ed il the State of Nevada Is ordered
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to disregard the decision of the
Nevada Public Service Commission in
Case C-614, decided September II,
1920, and is required to raise our
~intrastate freight rates and passen-
ger fares horizontally from 20 to so
basis? For example, what effect will
ii have if main ~trunk-line passenger
fares are increased between points
within Nevada from the present basis
of four and five cents per mile, to
4.S and six cents per mile, and on
crease the present five and six cent
fares to six cents and 10 cents per
mile. and this in the face of the fact
that the railroads have withdrawn all
~round-trip and scrip-book fares. for
merly in effect? Further, how will
il affect our people If the proposed
so per cen increase In Pullman fares
between points in Nevada is ordered
into effect by the Federal commission
following the hearing now set for
Reno, December 6, and to what ex-
tent will a 25 per cent horizontal
;noranon u. oil fecfgbt rafnC hatnynap
points in Nevada have upon our flu
ture development and prosperity if
ordered into effect as a result of the
aforesaid hearing at Reno?
(e) In this connection also estimate
as nearly as may be to what extent
affected adversely by the Railroad
Administrations order of June 25,
1918. at which time the railroads in
creased freight rates % per cent for
war purposes and withdrew all round
trip fares and scrip books in effect
between points in Nevada which had
given TO our people the benefit of
trunk-line fares averaging from 2h
to three cents per mile.
The question of jurisdiction is in
volved in this proceeding and it Is
therefore. exceedingly important tina
the people of Nevada shall come for
ward and defend their rights against
not only the imposition of the unujs |
and unreasonable taxes h~ereinabov
referred to, which the railroads pro
pose to assess against them. but ais
for the purpose of protecting theh
right of local self-government: for |
the order in question is made by tbs
Interstate Commerce Commission, al
power of the people for the future &C.
regulate their own internal commerce
and its instrumentalities through the
medium of their legislatures. courts
commissions. and the direct vote OF
the people upon the initiative, will
be destroyed. and in lieu thereof all
power will be centralized in the Fed
eral commission at Washington.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF NEVADA,
BY J. +. SHAUGHNESSY,