Cases involving enforcement of orders of the Commission Operating division of the Commission.. Hearings and investigations... Block signals and automatic train stops Page. CONTENTS. Restraint of advances in rates Decisions of the United States Supreme Court. Investigation of express companies. Union Pacific investigation... Free passes and free transportation. Cases involving enforcement of orders of the Commission Injunction to restrain proceedings before the Commission Injunction to restrain proposed rates Relief from unreasonable freight rates Delegation of certain duties to Executive Departments. Power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. Page. REPORT OF THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION. WASHINGTON, D. C., December 23, 1907. To the Senate and House of Representatives: The Interstate Commerce Commission has the honor to submit its twenty-first annual report for the consideration of the Congress. Little more is attempted in this report than a general statement of the work performed by the Commission during the past year in the discharge of its official duties. A considerable part of the time has been occupied in giving administrative construction to various provisions of the law for the guidance of both shippers and carriers. To secure the best results of legislation with the least possible delay there was obvious need of a correct and uniform interpretation of the statute. Therefore, without reference to questions arising in particular cases, and to avoid unnecessary controversy, it has seemed our duty to construe the law in advance wherever it appeared obscure or ambiguous, so that the obligations of the railroads and the rights of the public might be promptly understood. This has resulted in numerous rulings explaining our view of the meaning and application of different sections and paragraphs of the statute. These rulings have in practically every instance been accepted by the carriers, even in cases where their legal advisers were not entirely in accord with the opinion of the Commission. The rulings and regulations already promulgated will be revised and printed in a separate document. The benefits of this course are beyond question. The Commission has endeavored to adopt a workable construction of the law in all cases, and has as a rule announced its conclusions in matters of importance only after conference and discussion with representative shippers and traffic officials. This is especially true with reference to tariff regulations, a subject which is treated at some length in a subsequent part of this report. This matter is fundamental in any scheme of public regulation. There is scarcely a complaint or controversy which is not based upon the schedules of rates and charges established by the carriers. If those schedules are clear and definite in their statements, there is no excuse for disregarding them. If the |