Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1909 — SUPREME COUGT HITS RAILWAYS [ARTICLE]

SUPREME COUGT HITS RAILWAYS

Decision Affects Those Owning Coal lines. COMMODITY CLAUSE VAUD Roads Carrying Anthracite Must Dispose of Their Collerles, as the Clause In Question Does Not Permit the Interstate Transportation of Commodities Produced by the Companies as Owners. Washington, May 4. —The commodities clause of the Hepburn rate law is valid. This important and anxiously awaited decision was handed down by the United States supreme court. The result is that the anthracite coal carrying railways must dispose of their mines, for the clause in question does not permit the interstate transportation of commodities produced by the railway companies. The court holds in brief that congress acted within its constitutional prerogatives in regulating commerce in passing the section of the law attacked. Briefly summarized, the decision holds the law to be constitutional, but does not concede the contentions of the government as to its scope. A special exception was made as to the ownership of stock in a different corporation, which, it was declared, did not constitute such ownership as to prohibit transportation under the terms of the law. It was held also that ownership of the commodity applied only to the time of transportation. If before transporting it the railroad company has parted with the commodity in good faith it may carry it. The principal point of the decision was in relation to holding of the stock of subordinate companies by railways, and on that the finding was favorable to the roads.