Railroad Rate Control in Its Legal Aspects: A Study of the Effect of Judicial Decisions Upon Public Regulation of Railroad Rates

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For the American economic association by the Macmillan Company, 1906 - 147 páginas

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Página 47 - The question of the reasonableness of a rate of charge for transportation by a railroad company, involving as it does the element of reasonableness both as regards the company and as regards the public, is eminently a question for judicial investigation, requiring due process of law for its determination.
Página 35 - If the company is deprived of the power of charging reasonable rates for the use of its property, and such deprivation takes place in the absence of an investigation by judicial machinery, it is deprived of the lawful use of its property, and thus, in substance and effect, of the property itself, without due process of law and in violation of the Constitution of the United States...
Página 21 - In countries where the common law prevails, it has been customary from time immemorial for the legislature to declare what shall be a reasonable compensation under such circumstances, or, perhaps more properly speaking, to fix a maximum, beyond which any charge made would be unreasonable.
Página 35 - ... charging reasonable rates for the use of its property, and such deprivation takes place in the absence of an investigation by judicial machinery, it is deprived of the lawful use of its property, and thus, in substance and effect, of the property itself, without due process of law and in violation of the Constitution of the United States ; and in so far as it is thus deprived, while other persons are permitted to receive reasonable profits upon their invested capital, the company is deprived...
Página 62 - In our judgment. It must be held that the reasonableness or unreasonableness of rates prescribed by a state for the transportation of persons and property wholly within its limits must be determined without reference to the Interstate business done by the carrier, or to the profits derived from It. The state cannot Justify unreasonably low rates for domestic transportation, considered alone, upon the ground that the carrier is earning large profits on its interstate business, over which, so far as...
Página 71 - It cannot be said that a corporation is entitled, as of right, and without reference to the interests of the public, to realize a given per cent upon its capital stock. When the question arises whether the Legislature has exceeded its constitutional power in prescribing rates to be charged by a corporation controlling a public highway, stockholders are not the only persons whose rights or interests are to be considered. The rights of the public are not to be ignored.
Página 71 - It is unnecessary to decide, and we do not wish to be understood as laying down as an absolute rule, that in every case a failure to produce some profit to those who have invested their money in the building of a road is conclusive that the tariff is unjust and unreasonable.
Página 19 - Every bushel of grain for its passage "pays a toll, which is a common charge," and therefore, according to Lord Hale, every such warehouseman "ought to be under public regulation, viz., that he ... take but reasonable toll." Certainly, if any business can be clothed "with a public interest and cease to be juris privati only,
Página 25 - We know that this is a power which may be abused, but that is no argument against its existence. For protection against abuses by legislatures the people must resort to the polls, not to the courts.
Página 81 - It is one thing to inquire whether the rates which have been charged and collected are reasonable — that is a judicial act ; but an entirely different thing to prescribe rates which shall be charged in the future — that is a legislative act.

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