Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

,.. OFFICE OF THE ATIORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS ‘, ~, AUSTIN GCULO c. MAnn A-anIt- . .* c .‘..’ , , .,.’ Honorabie Jamerr X. Xlldiiy,~ Dlroofor- . . . . :. ’ Motor' Tran#portat%.on Dl~lalon] Railroad Oommlmmioqr of Taam Austin,~ Tesar : " ... Dear Siri ion of ‘. .I I .: Teas to whi d: a aontraot and, and.oommon’ he Railroad Oommleslonfs r Ttiriff forbida any oommon tompay ‘any oonelgnor or any ‘.‘. ~4, ,of any ooneignor or ‘the “~, 8. any money ror draying he dooka or the oommon .oar- ‘II.‘. Vpour opinion ie respeotiully reque&ed on the queetiona propounded to ua by Nr. Rawlinge,‘ - .: “Am a part of the iaots,, you map eierwne ‘: that Mr. Dan Zong’‘is regularly earpLoyad~by the .- : Honorable Jam08 E. ‘gilday, page g ‘. Carpent& Paper Company of Fort Worth and that It Is his apeolal duty to do thlr drayage work for eald 0ompany.w Briefly, the oontraot form submitted Is designed a8 one between Dan Long, doing business under the trade name of. . Long Cartage Company, and a motor oommon oarrler, whereunder the oarrler agrees to pay Dan Long oertaln eume of money ror . draping freight In the Olty of Fort Worth,to and’irom the dooks of the oommon oarrler truok liner. The. queatlon submitted Is whether the exeoutlon and observanoe of the oontraot by l&r. Long and the oommon oarrler would aonetltute a violation of.Item 600 or any other reguia- tlon bf the. Railroad %mnleslan. You have desorlbed the appllaatlon oi’ltem 600 ln ‘, your ietter to ua, quoted’above. Wa are,advleed that no other _- -spdoIiId rule or regula- .’ tlon of the .CommleaIon le applloa’uie: -1 Item 800 ia not violated by any oontraotuai .relatlon- ; ship, In the partloulare ‘under review, between the oommon oar- rler truok lines and an independent oontraotor. dlvoroed entire- .I ly rrom any 001~3lgnor or :qanelgnee. .~ ‘. : -c~, -~ Item 600: would be ylolated by suoh a oontraatual relationship ii as a iaotuai.matter the oonalgnor or oonelgnee reoelred payment dlreotly or lndlreotly thereunder1 ln other words, If the agrepmant were a subterfuge, a elmuhted trans- aot lon. The fa.ot, alone, that Dan Long Is regularly employed.: by the Oerpenter Paper Oompany, .a oonslgnor or oonslgnee, does ‘.. not, of Itself, oondemn the traneaotlon. If, however, Dan Long ae the Long Cartage ,Oompany.ia In faot the agent of the Carpenter Paper Otipany, and dlreotly or lndlreotly’aots a8 auoh ln the exaoutlon’or ,oarrylng out of the oontraot, Item 600 wouid be violated. It ‘16 apparent, that auoh an’arrangement adapts it- self easily’ to a fraud upon Item 600 promulgated by the Omunle- ion. Bor It not to.do ,,PO.wouid requlre~ thatthe entity of Long Oartago aampany bq mtlrrly Independent of the Oarpenfar , _. .‘. ,:.,:.:; ~,. ,’ ,~ Honorable Janm E. Kilday, page 3 paper Company and of Den Long aa an employee or agent of the Carpenter Paper Company in other reapeotr. Under the fact8 submitted, the queetlon oanuot be amwered categcrioally. It is our opinion, hovever, that the approval or rejection of the proffered contract le a matter addressed to the discretion of the Railroad Commleaion, to b8 exeroleed in the light of the facta recited in your letter, together with other Sacta which my be in the posaemion OS the Comirsion or which might become knovn t,o the Commlrrion l.n any lnveH3.gatiou of the matter. We are returning herevith the enoloawea aooompuq- ing your letter. Your8 very truly A An ATTOFtNllY OF ,op TSXAS 2CS;db lkoloaures