Show iTF L OF RAILROADS Recommendations of Industrial I Indus-trial Commission LEGISLATIONIS SUGGESTED Powers and Functions of Interstate Commerce Commission Should According Ac-cording to the Report Bo Enlarged That Long and Short Haul Clause of Law Bo Strengthened and Enforced En-forced Regarding Agriculture tho Commission Recommends That Beet Sugar Be Thoroughly Protected Washington Feb 6The Industrial commission has submitted its final report re-port to Congress It is a document of more than 1000 printed pages The Ilrst part which has been made public I pub-lic deals with the progress of the Nation Na-tion agricullure mining and transportation trans-portation Recommendations arc made on the subjects of transportation and agriculture The commission advises as to transportation GOVERNMENTAL SUPERVISION That the policy of governmental supervision su-pervision and control of railroads as originally laid down in the Senate committee report of 1S9G and embodied the following year In the interstate commerce act be revived and strengthened strength-ened that the authority of the Inter state Commerce commission necessary for the adequate protection of shippers ship-pers and clearly Intended by the framers of the laws be restored and that the powers and functions of the commission be enlarged practically as contemplated in the socalled Cullom bill of 1900 except a to authority to prepare and enforce a uniform classification clas-sification lon NEEDED LEGISLATION Such legislation should provide For more stringent regulation of the conditions con-ditions under which freight and passenger pass-enger tariffs are published and filed No rate of classification ought to be changed without at least sixty days notice to shippers unless specifically authorized by the Interstate Commerce Com-merce commission That strict adherence to published tariffs be required and rebates or discrimination prevented by an increase in-crease of the penalties That the long and short haul clause In section four of the Act of 1SS7 he strengthened and rigidly enforced rlIcly unless un-less the carriers shall be released by special order of the Interstate Com merco commlsslonini I < n IJII IHII IJ IK l REASONABLENESS OF RATES For the definite grant of power to the Interstate Commerce commission never on Its own Initiative but only on formal complaint to pass upon the reasonableness of freight and passenger passen-ger rates or charges Also the definite grant of power to declare given rates unreasonable as at present together with poer to prescribe reasonable rates in substitution For early hearings upon complaints nnd for prompt decisions by the com mission the purpose being to obviate intolerable delays For a specific grant of power to the Interstate Commerce Com-merce commission over classification both as to Items and grouping Cou nne groupinG pled with this however we dissent from the section of the socalled Cul lom bill requiring the Interstate Commerce Com-merce commission within a certain period pe-riod to promulgate n uniform clasgifl callon for the United Stales CORPS OF EXPERT AUDITORS For the establishment oro permanent corps of expert audilorn who shall have authority under the supervision of the Interstu Commerce commission to examine periodically the account of all railway companies whether operating or financial in their nature That violations of the act respecting the keeping and filing oC anneal reports re-ports by carriers should be made misdemeanors mis-demeanors and promptness In making such returns should be required MEMBERSHIP COMMISSION That to further the effectiveness of the commission its membershi should be directly representative of the various vari-ous Interests concerned in the persons of shippers or business men tratnfc experts ex-perts rail or water and men oi legal training and the number of the commissioners com-missioners should ho Increased to seven That legislation analogous to theanI llslockwaerlng statutes of Massachusetts Massa-chusetts be enacted by the several States That railroad companies prohibited prohibit-ed by law from making lower freight rates upon imports billed to the Interior of this country In connection with ocean transportation or othervlro than are made on similar art ll s from the seaboard to the interior or than are made from one Inland point co another when the distance la not greater grtl lAS l-AS TO AGRICULTURl Prefacng its recommendations regarding re-garding agriculture the commission says that agricullure has derived more benefit from tho establishment of the Department Agriculture anl fiom Its administrative work than from any other Federal legislation I maker the following recommendations on this subject POWER OF SECRETARY That the Secretary oC Agriculture bp given authority to Inspect products In ten ed for export and to certify to their I grade and quality To fix standard grades for cereals based on season of growing quality and weight per measure and when Intended Intend-ed for export to Inspect and certify tho same To cause stqck cars and stock yards to be cleansed and disinfected clcansed anddlslnfectll whooper he considers such acton necessary To make adequate regulations prohibiting pro-hibiting time shipment of uninspected or diseased meat from one State to another an-other or to foreign countries To require and direct the proper dls poslllon of diseased meats that a more comprehensive penalty clause for hhip ping diseased meat ne rmactec INSPECTING NURSERY STOCK That a law be enacted to provide for the inspection of nursery stock Intended for Interstate commerce or for export and prohibiting the transportation of diseased Infected or uninHpecleJ nursery nurse-ry stock and for rules nnd regulations to govern the Importation of nursery stock and fruit wi1 piohSbltlns1 he Importation of diseased Infested or un inspected nursery stork or fruit PURE FOOD SECTION That a purefood section In the chemistry division of the Department of Agriculture be established to prevent the ad lteration false branding and de ceplive imitation of foods bevcragcs candles drugs and condiments In the District of Columbia and the Toni tories and for regulating Interstate traffic therein That adequate legislation be enacted by the several States where needed for 11 the control of such diseases as fjUm tiers tuberculosis etc I PROTECTING BEET SUGAR That wherever changes may be made in the tariff by reciprocity or otherwise adequate protection to the beetsugar Industry be maintained That increased i appropriations be made by Congress for building sample stretches of improved road in various sections of the country so ns to cn JCUraSeh rt pj pptc or such roads at State and local expentn RURAL FREE DELIVERY That the system of rural free delivery deliv-ery be extended as recommended by I the PostmasterGeneral In his latest annual report That the policy of setting astrJe forest reserves already Inaugurated be ox tended and the three bureaus of the I Government which have charge of In vcLa tons nnd administrative i work connected dated with forestry be oonfeoll |