Show Bill OF CHAIRMAN MANN OF ILLINOIS Sweeping Changes in the In Interstate Interstate Commerce Laws Proposed FEATURE OF MEASURE NOT I IN N ACCORD WITH WITH I IDEAS DEAS OF THE PRESIDENT Washington Jan bill making I sweeping changes in Ute the Interstate corn com commerce merce merce laws for the regulation of at rail raU railroads roads was Introduced In the house by Representative Mann Hann of chairman chair chairman man ot of tI e committee of Int and foreign commerce The bill is not In ac accord accord cord wIth the one prepared by the com committee committee acting under the direction of President President dent Taft and known as the adminis administration administration mil railroad road bill but was prepared by Chairman Mann during the summer vacation ot of Congress The measure does not provide for a special court to hear Interstate commerce cases as has been reported would be bethe bethe the form torm of legislation on this sUbject that President Tart Taft would recommend It proposes however to create In time the do de department ot of commerce and labor a bureau to be called the bureau ot of transportation tion where a shipper may file corn com complaints plaints against a railroad Must File Petition Jr If after an Investigation the commis commissioner abner ot of the bureau ot of transportation finds that there Is justice In the corn com complaint plaint he must report the facts to the attorn attorney e general ot of the United States and If the attorney Is satisfied that there Is cause or of action he Is re required required to file a petition with the Inter Interstate interstate state commerce commission and prose prosecute prosecute cute the case at the expense of the gov government government The shipper may It If he prefers still file his complaint direct with the commission and prosecute at his own expense as the present law provides The bill makes It the duty ot of common carriers to establish just and reasonable classifications and regulations and author authorIzes authorizes Izes the Interstate COmmerce commission to prescribe what they shall be beLong beLong Long and Short Haul The long and short haul clause or of the Interstate commerce act would be amended so as to provide that charge for a short haul shall In no case be greater than the charge for a long haul hauland hauland and the charge for a through rate shall i be no greater than the aggregate of the local rate False or padded claims fer damages by a shipper are prohibited all amm allare are rebates Provisions of the law In regard to filing complaints and authorizing the commis i ision aba sion to adjust complaints and fix rates I are much enlarged and they give power to the commission not only to fix rates upon complaint but also to adjust and prescribe classIfications regulations and practices generally generall The commission ma may suspend the taking effect any proposed rate or change chanse In classification until full tull hearing can be had on the subject The commissIon also Is given the power to establish rates and joint rates and the shipper to select the entire route over which a shipment shall be trans transported transported ported Required to Furnish Rates Railroads are re to furnish rates on on written application Every shipment of property on n which a rebate Is paid Is made a separate offense and the Elkins law is amended to that extent Railroads under the hill ill may exchange trans transportation transportation for advertisement of their time timetables timetables tables in newspapers A common carrier Is prohibited from owning or acquiring ownership of stock In any com competing carrier The bill also makes It unlawful for a railroad company to Issue any stock or bonds except acquisition or of property the construction or of Its sines ines the Improvement of Its son ser service vice or the discharge or of obligations and after filing with the commissioner of a statement setting f rth full details ot of the Issue The bill requires stock to be sold for not less than par and bonds for not less than the reasonable market value and provides a penalty of fine and irn Im for five years for the Illegal issuance of stocks and bonds S The bill also makes It unlawful for any railroad to acquire by purchase lease lense or 01 otherwise the ownership of any connect connectIng connecting Ing line Une and forbids any form of owner ownership ownership ship to acquire control ot of two competing In ing lines ot of transportation unless per permitted permitted by the Interstate commerce corn com commission mission The bill was referred to the committee of whIch Mr l Mann Is chairman |