Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1905 — HEPBURN RATE BILL. [ARTICLE]

HEPBURN RATE BILL.

Enlarges Commerce Board and Provides for Court. The bill to regulate railroad rates which was prepared by Chairman Hepburn of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, after consultation with the President and Attorney General Moody, was introduced in Congress. The bill provides for the abolition of the present Interstate Commerce Commission and its re-creation with a membership of seven. The members are to be appointed by the President. It also provides for a Court of Commerce, to which all appeals from the decisions of the Interstate Commission are to be made. Thjs &>urt will be made up of five Circuit. Court judges, who shall be assigned to the Court of Commerce by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The new Court of Commerce will have all the powers of a Circuit Court, and any appeal which may be taken from its decision must be to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Interstate Commerce Commission is given power to fix a reasonable rate on complaint of either shipper or railroad. The decision may be appealed, if at all, to the Court of Commerce within thirty days, and if the Court of Commerce makes no decision the rate fixed by the Interstate Commission becomes operative of its-own force within sixty days from the time it is given. The penalty fixed for violation is $5,000 a day fine. The President is authorized to appoint additional Circuit Court judges to fill Vacancies caused by assigning judges to the Court of Commerce. The Interstate Commerce Commission is given authority to modify or suspend any rate it has made, or reopen any case at any time. It is said that the measure is satisfactory to President Roosevelt and his advisers and the President will favor its enactment, provided no weak spots be found in it, no snag or fatal defect which would render the entire act ineffective or to lead to its condemnation by the Supreme Court ou the ground of unconstitutionality.