All persons, firms, associations, and corporations are exempt from the provisions of this article where the nature and extent of their business are such that the public needs no use in the same and the conduct of the same is not a matter of public consequence; and for this purpose the district courts of the state and the Corporation Commission are vested with jurisdiction to determine such exemptions in any action or proceeding properly before them, as provided in this article.
R.L. 1910, § 4308.