Court Opinion

ID: 9637581
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 15:11:04.396638+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:57.917322
License: Public Domain

TRIEBER, District Judge.
I concur in the opinion of Judge VAN VALKENBURGH, but wish to add that on the question of the constitutionality of the provision of the Federal Trade Commission Act, making the findings of the commission, if supported by testimony, conclusive, the authorities cited by counsel for petitioners to sustain this contention are not in point.
In Cairo & Fulton Railroad Co. v. Parks, 32 Ark. 131, the act made a tax deed executed by the county clerk conclusive that each and every act and thing required to be done had been performed. Under that statute there.was°no hearing or opportunity to be heard and the clerk is merely a ministerial officer, possessing no quasi-judicial powers.
In Little Rock & F. S. Railroad Co. v. Payne, 33 Ark. 816, 34 Am. Rep. 55, the statute did not provide that the killing of stock by trains shall be conclusive evidence of negligence, but the trial court so construed it. This was held to be erroneous.
In Chicago, etc., Railway v. Minnesota, 134 U. S. 418, 10 S. Ct. 462, 33 L. Ed. 970, the statute made the rates or charges for transportation recommended by the railway and warehouse Commission of the state conclusive. There was no opportunity afforded to have a judicial inquiry as to the reasonableness of the rate established, or whether confiscatory. This was held unconstitutional.
In United States v. Colgate, 250 U. S. 300, 39 S. Ct. 465, 63 L. Ed. 992, 7 A. L. R. 443, the sufficiency of an indictment was involved, and it was held that as the indictment failed to charge the defendant with acting in co-operation with other manufacturers of like articles, and that one carrying on a private business has the right to determine to whom to sell' or refuse to sell. This also applies to some of the other authorities relied on. s