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Show RHTB BILL GIVES flORE POWER TO INTERSTATE COflfJERCE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, May lS.-The principal purpose of the railroad rate bill passed today is to permit the Interstate Commerce Com-merce commlslon to fix rates. The provision pro-vision conferring thia authority is found Jn" the fourth., section of .the .bUU which' amends, section 13 ot the interstate commerce com-merce law so as to accomplish this re- SUlt That paction directs the commission to investigate complaints of unjust and unreasonable un-reasonable charges on the part of the common , carriers in the transportation of persons or property; or of regulations or of practices affecting such cbargea It also- authorises an inquiry as to whether the rates or practices are unjustly un-justly discriminatory or unduly preferential preferen-tial or prejudicial or otherwise In violation viola-tion of toe act", and in case any of these conditions are found to exist, the com' mission Is empowered to determine and i prescribe- what will be the Just and rea-r' rea-r' sonable maximum rate and what reguia-t reguia-t tlon or practice is Just reasonable and fair. ; - ' - Further, authority is given the commission commis-sion to enforce itrordens. and they are to go into effect within- thirty days and continue con-tinue in force for two years unless suspended, sus-pended, modified or set aside by the commission com-mission or by a court of competent Jurisdiction. Juris-diction. Other powers conferred by this section are to apportion Joint fares, establish es-tablish ' through routes and maximum Joint -rates and prescribe their division, and to. determine the compensation to be paid to shippers doing service for car- rlSectlon 1 of the present law Is so changed as to provide for an award -of pecuniary damages to complainants found entitled, and in case payment Is not promiuly made m accordance with this wrl the beneficiary is authorised to file suit in 'a United States Circuit court te rempel compliance. The finding of the - eof.lrnlee'on is to be received as prima rflcik evidence of the facts in such suits, and h petitioner is absolved from all llsMlir. for actsv , ' Another provision ' renders legal the services of the orders of the commiseion through the malls, and provides that - these orders shall take effect thirty days after service. , unless suspended or- modified modi-fied by the commission or suspended or set aside by the courts. v - A penaltv Of I500O for each, offense in disobedience of the order Is Imposed, and the penalty is to accumulate at the rate of tSuoo a day in case of continuous violation. vio-lation. .Orders other than those for money payments are to be enforced by the Federal courts through writs of mandamus man-damus or Injunction, and in case of appeal ap-peal to the Supreme Court these cases are to be given preference-over all others, except ex-cept those of a criminal character. The bill was amended by the Senate so aa to give the United States Circuit court Jurisdiction to entertain suits brought to annul or change the orders of the commission, com-mission, and to provide against the granting grant-ing of Interlocutory decreases without the healing and making appeals from such orders or-ders direct to the Supreme court Other" provisions extend the definition of the word railroad so as to make it Include In-clude switches, spurs, tracks, terminal facilities, freight depots, yards and grounds, and defines the word "transportation" "transpor-tation" so as to make 'It embrace cars and other facilities for shipment or carriage, car-riage, "circumspective of ownership or of any- contract," the Intention being to make the railroads responsible for all special car service. It Is made toe duty of carriers to furnish special car service upon reasonable request. Senate amendments Include oil pipe Hoes, express companies and shipping car companies com-panies under the head of "common oar tiers." and make them amenable to the requirements of the bill. Other Senate modifications prohibit the issuance of passes or the granting of special favors to one class of passengers over another; prohibit pro-hibit railroad companies from transporting transport-ing commodities produced by themselves, require such companies to put in switches at the reasonable request of shippers, prohibit pro-hibit the granting or acceptance of rebates, re-bates, and reinstate the imprisonment penalty for violation of the law. There are also changes In the law relative rela-tive to the reports to be required of common com-mon carriers, and a penalty of $100 a day is imposed for failure to comply with the report requirement. The commission 'is given access to the accounts of the companlee affected by the act, hut examiners are forbidden, under penalty of heavy fine and long imprisonment, imprison-ment, from divulging the facta ascertained. ascer-tained. Fines, of $500 for each failure to keep proper accounts is provided. A falsification fal-sification of accounts is made punishable by fine and Imprisonment Circuit and Dissriot courts of the United Etatee are given Jurisdiction over all complaints bv the commission for failure to comply with Its orders, and such courts are required to Issue writs of manaamua compelling such compliance. |
