Illinois Central Company v. Public Utilities Commission of Illinois

United States Supreme Court

245 U.S. 493

Illinois Central Company  v.  Public Utilities Commission of Illinois

 Argued: Oct. 8 and 9, 1917. --- Decided: Jan 14, 1918

These cross-appeals present a controversy over the validity, scope and effect of an order of the Interstate Commerce Commission dealing with discrimination found to result from a disparity in interstate and intrastate passenger rates. The facts and proceedings to be considered are these: The Mississippi river forms the boundary between the states of Missouri and Iowa on the west and the state of Illinois on the east. East St. Louis, in southwestern Illinois, is directly across the river from St. Louis, Mo., and Hamilton, in western Illinois, is directly across the river from Keokuk, Iowa. At both places the river is spanned by railroad bridges whereby the lines of railroad on one side are connected with those on the other. For some years prior to December 1, 1914, interstate passenger rates between St. Louis and Keokuk on the one hand and points in Illinois on the other were on a substantial parity with intrastate rates between East St. Louis and Hamilton, respectively, and points in Illinois. All were on a basis of 2 cents per mile, save that the rates to and from St. Louis and Keokuk included a bridge toll over the river. All other rates between points in Illinois were also on the same basis, any intrastate rate in excess of 2 cents per mile being prohibited by a statute of that state. On December 1, 1914, the rates between St. Louis and Keokuk, respectively, and points in Illinois were increased by the carriers to 2 1/2 cents per mile, plus bridge tolls, the parity theretofore existing being thereby broken. Following this increase the Business Men's League of St. Louis, a corporate body of that city engaged in fostering its interests, filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission a petition against the carriers charging that the rates between St. Louis and points in Illinois were unreasonable in themselves, and, in connection with the lower intrastate rates, worked an unreasonable discrimination against St. Louis and in favor of Illinois cities, particularly East St. Louis and Chicago, and a like discrimination against interstate passenger traffic to and from St. Louis and in favor of intrastate passenger traffic to and from East St. Louis and Chicago. An association representing interests in Keokuk, Iowa, intervened and urged that any relief granted with respect to St. Louis be extended to Keokuk, so the former would not have an undue advantage over the latter. The state of Illinois, the Public Utilities Commission of that state, an association representing interests in Chicago and another association representing interests in East St. Louis, also intervened and opposed any action contemplating or requiring an increase in intrastate rates. After a hearing, in which all the parties and intervenors participated, the Interstate Commerce Commission filed a report (41 Interst. Com. Com'n R. 13) finding that the existing bridge tolls at St. Louis and Keokuk were unobjectionable, that rates between either of those cities and points in Illinois were reasonable when not in excess of 2.4 cents per mile, plus bridge tolls, and that the service, equipment and accommodations provided for intrastate passengers to and from East St. Louis, Hamilton, and Chicago, were the same as those provided for interstate passengers to and from St. Louis and Keokuk. In that report the Commission also found that the contemporaneous maintenance between East St. Louis ^[1] and Hamilton ^[2] respectively, and other points in Illinois, of rates on a lower basis than those maintained via the same routes between St. Louis and Keokuk, respectively, and the same points in Illinois, bridge tolls excepted, gave an undue preference to East St. Louis and Hamilton and to intrastate passenger traffic to and from the latter points and subjected St. Louis and Keokuk and interstate passenger traffic to and from those cities to an unreasonable disadvantage; that the existing disparity in interstate and intrastate rates worked an unjust discrimination against St. Louis and in favor of Chicago in so far as the rates between St. Louis and points in Illinois approximately equidistant from those cities exceeded, by more than the bridge toll, the rates between Chicago and the same points; that the disparity worked a like discrimination against Keokuk and in favor of Chicago; and that the existence on the reasonably direct lines of the carriers in the territory between Chicago on the one hand and St. Louis and Keokuk on the other of intrastate rates on a lower basis per mile than the rates between that territory and St. Louis and Keokuk, bridge tolls excepted, operated to subject interstate traffic to an unreasonable disadvantage.

The Commission then made an order intended to result in the installation of rates not exceeding 2.4 cents per mile between St. Louis and Keokuk, respectively, and points in Illinois and to remove the discrimination shown in the report; but shortly thereafter the Commission recalled that order and filed a supplemental report (41 Interst. Com. Com'n R. 503) indicating that lawful interstate rates between St. Louis and Keokuk on the one hand and Illinois point on the other could be defeated by the use of two tickets, one purchased at the interstate rate for a part of the journey and the other at the lower intrastate rate for the remainder, and therefore that the order should be so framed as to cover the rates between the intermediate points. In this connection it was said that the discrimination against interstate traffic resulting from the lower intrastate rates "would not be removed merely by an increase in the intrastate fares to and from the east bank points," and that "any contemporaneous adjustments of fares between St. Louis or Keokuk and points in Illinois, and generally within Illinois, which would permit the defeat of the St. Louis, Keokuk, East St. Louis, or any other east side city fares by methods such as described above, and which would thereby permit the continuance of the undue prejudice which we have found is suffered by St. Louis and Keokuk, and continue to burden interstate commerce," would not comply with the order about to be copied in the margin. ^[3]

In obedience to that order the carriers-of whom there were 29 took the requisite steps to establish and put in force interstate rates on a basis of 2.4 cents per mile between St. Louis and Keokuk, respectively, and points in Illinois, and those rates became effective. Then, believing the order required all intrastate rates in Illinois to be on a level with those interstate rates, bridge tolls excepted, the carriers proceeded to establish and put in force new rates between all points in that state on a basis of 2.4 cents per mile. This met with opposition on the part of the state authorities and the carriers severally brought suits against them, in the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, to enjoin them from interfering, by civil or criminal proceedings, or otherwise, with the establishment and maintenance of such intrastate rates under the Commission's order. The suits were consolidated and the present appeals are from decrees dismissing the bills for want of equity and dismissing cross-bills of the state authorities for want of jurisdiction.

Messrs. Silas H. Strawn, Robert Bruce Scott, Andrew P. Humburg, W. S. horton,

Messrs. George T. Buckingham, James H. for Railroad Cos.

Messrs. George T. Buckingham, James H. Wilkerson, and Edward J. Brundage, all of Chicago, Ill., for State Public Utilities Commission.

Mr. Joseph W. Folk, of Washington, D. C., for Interstate Commerce Commission.

Mr. Solicitor General Davis, of Washington, D. C., for the United States.

Mr. Justice VAN DEVANTER, after making the foregoing statement, delivered the opinion of the Court.

Notes

1. The report similarly speaks of other towns across the river from St. Louis, East St. Louis being here mentioned as representative of all.
2. The report refers to a plurality of points opposite Keokuk, but it suffices here to mention Hamilton.
3. The order is dated October 17, 1916, and, omitting the caption, reads as follows:

'It appearing, that on July 12, 1916, the Commission entered its report and order in this proceeding, and on the date hereof a supplemental report, which reports are hereby referred to and made a part hereof:

'It is ordered that the said order of July 12, 1916, be, and it is hereby, vacated, and that the following be substituted therefor.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to cease and desist, on or before January 15, 1917, and thereafter to abstain, from publishing, demanding, or collecting passenger fares between St. Louis, Mo., and points in Illinois upon a basis higher than 2.4 cents per mile, bridge tolls excepted, which basis was found reasonable in said report, or higher than the fares contemporaneously exacted for the transportation of passengers between East St. Louis, Ill., and the same Illinois points, by more than a reasonable bridge toll; or fares constructed upon a higher basis per mile, bridge tolls excepted, than fares contemporaneously maintained between Illinois points intermediate between St. Louis, Mo., and points in Illinois, as such fares have been found in said report to be unlawfully discriminatory.

'It is further ordered, that the above defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notifled and required to cease and desist, on or before January 15, 1917, and thereafter to abstain, from publishing, demanding, or collecting fares for the transportation of passengers between St. Louis Mo., and points in Illinois, the basis of which per mile, bridge tolls excepted, is higher than the basis per mile for fares contemporaneously maintained between Chicago and the same Illinois points, as such fares have been found in said report to be unlawfully discriminatory.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to cease and desist, on or before January 15, 1917, and thereafter to abstain, from publishing, demanding, or collecting passenger fares between Keokuk, Iowa and points in Illinois upon a basis higher than 2.4 cents per mile, bridge tolls excepted, which basis was found reasonable in said report, or higher per mile than the fares contemporaneously exacted for the transportation of passengers between Illinois points, directly opposite Keokuk and the same Illinois points, by more than a reasonable bridge toll; or fares constructed upon a higher basis per mile, bridge tolls excepted, than fares contemporaneously maintained between Illinois points intermediate between Keokuk, Iowa, and points in Illinois, as such fares have been found in said report to be unlawfully discriminatory.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to cease and desist, on or before January 15, 1917, and thereafter to abstain, from publishing, demanding, or collecting fares for the transportation of passengers between Keokuk, Iowa, and points in Illinois, the basis of which per mile, bridge tolls excepted, is higher than the basis per mile for fares contemporaneously maintained between Chicago and the same Illinois points, as such fares have been found in said report to be unlawfully discriminatory.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to establish and put in force on or before January 15, 1917, upon notice to this Commission and to the general public by not less than 30 days' filing and posting in the manner prescribed in section 6 of the Act to Regulate Commerce [Comp. St. 1916, § 8569] and thereafter to maintain and apply to the transportation of passengers between St. Louis and points in Illinois fares upon a basis not in excess of the fares between East St. Louis, Ill., and the same points by more than a reasonable bridge toll; nor upon a higher basis per mile, bridge tolls excepted, than fares contemporaneously maintained between Illinois points intermediate between St. Louis and points in Illinois, as such fares have been found in said report to be unlawfully discriminatory.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to establish and put in force on or before January 15, 1917, upon notice to this Commission and to the general public by not less than 30 days' filing and posting in the manner prescribed in section 6 of the Act to Regulate Commerce, and thereafter to maintain and apply to the transportation of passengers between St. Louis, Mo., and points in Illinois fares, the basis of which per mile, bridge tolls excepted, is not higher than the basis per mile for fares contemporaneously maintained between Chicago and those same Illinois points.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to establish and put in force on or before January 15, 1917, upon notice to this Commission and to the general public by not less than 30 days' filing and posting in the manner prescribed in section 6 of the Act to Regulate Commerce, and thereafter to maintain and apply to the transportation of passengers between Keokuk, Iowa, and points in Illinois fares upon a basis not in excess of 2.4 cents per mile, bridge tolls excepted, which basis has been found reasonable in the said report, nor in excess per mile of the fares between points in Illinois directly opposite to Keokuk and the same points by more than a reasonable bridge toll; nor upon a higher basis per mile, bridge tolls excepted, than fares contemporaneously effective between Illinois points intermediate between Keokuk, Iowa, and points in Illinois.

'It is further ordered, that the above-named defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to establish and put in force on or before January 15, 1917, upon notice to this Commission and to the general public by not less than 30 days' filing and posting in the manner prescribed in section 6 of the Act to Regulate Commerce, and thereafter to maintain and apply to the transportation of passengers between Keokuk, Iowa, and points in Illinois fares, the basis of which per mile, bridge tolls excepted, is not higher than the basis per mile for fares contemporaneously maintained between Chicago and those same Illinois points.

'It is further ordered, that said defendants, according as they participate in the transportation, be, and they are hereby, notified and required to cease and desist, on or before January 15, 1917, and thereafter to abstain, from the undue preferences and the undue and unreasonable prejudices and disadvantages found in said report to result from the contemporaneous maintenance between Illinois points of passenger fares, which fares, in combination with other fares required or permitted by this order, would produce the discrimination against interstate commerce and the undue preferences in favor of intrastate commerce condemned in the report of the Commission.

'And it is further ordered, that this order shall continue in force for a period of not less than two years from the date when it shall take effect.'