Section IX-19: Powers of court of record - Additional powers - Failure or refusal to obey orders.

  In all matters pertaining to the public visitation, regulation,
or control of corporations, and within the jurisdiction of the
Commission, it shall have the powers and authority of a court of
record, to administer oaths, to compel the attendance of
witnesses, and the production of papers, to punish for contempt
any person guilty of disrespectful or disorderly conduct in the
presence of the Commission while in session, and to enforce
compliance with any of its lawful orders or requirements by
adjudging, and by enforcing its own appropriate process, against
the delinquent or offending party or company (after it shall have
been first duly cited, proceeded against by due process of law
before the Commission sitting as a court, and afforded
opportunity to introduce evidence and to be heard, as well
against the validity, justness, or reasonableness of the order or
requirement alleged to have been violated, as against the
liability of the company for the alleged violation), such fines
or other penalties as may be prescribed or authorized by this
Constitution or by law.  The Commission may be vested with such
additional powers, and charged with such other duties (not
inconsistent with this Constitution) as may be prescribed by law,
in connection with the visitation, regulation, or control of
corporations, or with the prescribing and enforcing of rates and
charges to be observed in the conduct of any business where the
State has the right to prescribe the rates and charges in
connection therewith, or with the assessment of the property of
corporations, or the appraisement of their franchises, for
taxation, or with the investigation of the subject of taxation
generally.  Any corporation failing or refusing to obey any valid
order or requirement of the Commission, within reasonable time,
not less than ten days, as shall be fixed in the order, may be
fined by the Commission (proceeding by due process of law as
aforesaid) such sum, not exceeding five hundred dollars, as the
Commission may deem proper, or such sum, in excess of five
hundred dollars, as may be prescribed or authorized by law; and
each day's continuance of such failure or refusal, after due
service upon such corporation of the order or requirement of the
Commission, shall be a separate offense:  Provided, That should
the operation of such order or requirement be suspended, pending
any appeal therefrom, the period of such suspension shall not be
computed against the company in the matter of its liability to
fines or penalties.