Show r t L 1 M 1 I 1 S LAW H jaaj jn r Aj 9 by TH K ri N ACT UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT MAKES IMPORTANT DECISION railroad companies must pay the penalty for rebates granted to patrons washington feb 24 the question whether the railroad rate law known as the i hepburn act repeals section one of the act prohibiting re hates by railroads rall roada involved iu iti the case of the great northern railway company versus the united states was decided today by the supreme court of the united stat states es against the railroad company and against the contention of such appeal the case was contested in the united states district court from the district of minnesota which court fined the railroad 1000 1003 each for fifteen violations of the first section of 0 the elkins law the alleged offenses against the law were nvere committed during the surn sum mer of 1905 1903 and consisted in granting concessions to tho the W P devereaux company oh its shipments of oats and corn from minneapolis to points in washington the company admitted the concessions and fought the prosecution on grounds that by amending the elkins act so as to provide for punishment by imprisonment rather than by fines the hepburn law had so oo modified the original law as to accomplish its repeal and render punishment under it impracticable decision was announced by justice white and affirmed the finding of the district court and the united states circuit court of appeals |