It shall be unlawful for any common carrier to charge or receive any greater compensation in the aggregate for the transportation of passengers, or of a like kind of freight or property, for a shorter than for a longer distance, all or any portion of the shorter haul being included within the longer. A common carrier shall charge no more for transporting passengers or freight to or from any point than a fair and just rate as compared with the price it charges for the same kind of transportation to or from any other point. All the provisions of this section shall apply to the transportation of passengers and all kinds of freight and property shipped and transported over one or more connecting lines. Such connecting lines shall transfer car lots without extra compensation, and shall transfer less than car lots at actual cost for such transfer. Rates shall be made and published by connecting lines for continuous shipment upon demand of any shipper or shippers and such rates so made by two or more connecting lines shall be no greater in the aggregate than the rate would be if shipped continuously upon one line of road. The commission may, upon application by a common carrier, permit and prescribe the extent to which any such carrier may be relieved from the operation of the principles contained in this section.