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Show RENDER DECISION ADjUNSTRAILWAYS SUPREME COURT HANDS DOWN OPINION IN I NTE R MOU NTA1N RATE CASE. Upholds the Orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission, Deciding That the Long and Short Haul Clause is Constitutional. Washington. The interstate commerce com-merce commission's so-called inter-mountain inter-mountain rate orders were sustained as valid on Monday by the supreme court, which held at the same time that the long and short haul clause of the interstate commerce law was constitutional. Both had been attacked at-tacked by the transcontinental railroads. rail-roads. The defunct commerce court, passing pass-ing over the constitutional question, had annulled the orders on the ground that the commissioners had no authority au-thority to issue "blanket" or "zone" orders and might act only on the reasonableness rea-sonableness of specific rates. In overturning that contention and holding that the commission did have such power, the supreme court decided a point which lawyers and close observers of the interstate commerce com-merce commission's procedure say is of equal importance to the intermoun-tain intermoun-tain rate case itself if not greater. Opposition to the 5 per cent increase in-crease in freight rates being asked by the eastern railroads and upon W'hich the interstate commerce commission com-mission is expected to announce its decision at any day has been based principally upon the contention that the commission did not have authority author-ity under the law to grant such a "blanket Increase." Copies of the court's decision were Bent immediately to the commission for its guidance. What the effect if any of the decision de-cision upon the rate case may be, can only be the subject of conjecture. There are those among the well-informed in the commission's procedure, proced-ure, however, who say the decision in the disposition of the railroads' application ap-plication has been delayed awaiting the supreme court's decision on that important point. |