This case comes here upon appeal by the railroad commission, which was defendant below, from a docree of the circuit court of the United States for the eastern district of Louisiana, enjoining the enforcement of certain rates prescribed by the railroad commission of that state, for use by the appellee, telephone company therein. The appellant was created under article 283 of the Constitution of the state of Louisiana; and article 284 of that Constitution authorizes it to adopt just and reasonable rates, charges, and regulations governing and regulating, among other corporations, those operating the telephone within the state. The commission has the power to examine and compel the attendance of and to swear witnesses, and compel the production of books and papers, to take testimony under commission, and to punish for contempt, as fully as provided by law for the district courts.
Article 285 of the Constitution provides that if any corporation subject to the commission is dissatisfied with its decision fixing or adopting any rate, the corporation thus dissatisfied may file a petition, setting forth the cause of its objection, in a court of competent jurisdiction at the domicil of the commission, against said commission as defendant, and either party to such action may appeal the case to the supreme court of the state without regard to the amount involved.
By article 286 it is provided, among other things, that 'whenever any rate, order, charge, rule, or regulation of the commission is contested in court, as provided for in article 285 of this Constitution, no fine or penalty for disobedience thereto, or disregard thereof shall be incurred until after said contestation shall have been finally decided by the courts, and then only for acts subsequently committed.'
Under these provisions of the Constitution the railroad commission had been created and was in operation, and on or about August 6, 1906, it established and promulgated certain rates for the complainant to charge for its services within the state of Louisiana, to take effect September 1, 1906. The complainant, immediately after the promulgation of the order, and before the time when it was to take effect, applied to the commission for a rehearing before it, which was granted, but no evidence was taken on such rehearing, and the commission subsequently reaffirmed the order, and directed that it should take effect on the 20th of October, 1906. Thereupon the complainant commenced this suit for the purpose of enjoining the enforcement of the rates established by the order, which is designated as order No. 552.
In the bill filed by the complainant it was alleged that the complainant was a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of Kentucky and a citizen and resident of that state, and that the railroad commission of Louisiana was a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of Louisiana, and was a resident of that state and of the district in which suit was brought; viz., in the eastern district of Louisiana, Baton Rouge division.
It was also alleged that prior to August 6, 1906, the complainant had in force and effect a tariff of rates between points in the state of Louisiana, which had been promulgated and put into effect by the railroad commission of that state; that such rates were entirely fair and reasonable in so far as the public is or was concerned, as under them subscribers were and are able to use said service at a price which did not and does not afford complainant a fair, just, and reasonable compensation for its services.
It was also averred that while such rates were in force the commission, without making any investigation, and without any evidence in regard to any of the facts necessary to reach a determination, and without any effort to obtain evidence in that direction, made and promulgated, on the 6th of August, 1906, the order known as order No. 552, by which order it greatly reduced the rates in existence up to that time, and the former rates were thereby changed to the rates specified in the order, which order was to become effective after the 1st of September, 1906.
The complainant further averred that it had asked for a rehearing, which the commission granted, and thereafter, being still without evidence or investigation justifying the same, the commission reaffirmed the order No. 552, and declared that the same should become effective within ten days from the date of the second order, which was dated October 10, 1906.