The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-04-10
Railroads and Munopo.icS,

Those who are interested in studying
III, process by which the railroads Of
this country are hy their favoritism be-
tween shippers making monopolics of
most Of our leading businesses should
carefully read the communication in an.
other column with regard to the legal.
~ Of the practice of discrimination.
The writer, who has given special atten-
ton to the subject of the laws regn.
lating the relations of railroads and the
public. shows clearly that common car.
riers have no right to make any other
Discrimination between their patrons
than will correspond 10 the difference in
tho expense ot the services rendered.
The law knows no such doctrines MS
that the railroads may give prefcrcn-
tial rate tn one shipper over another
simply because he Is n heavier shipper,
nor that tho railroads may make this
difference in his favor rs large as may
he needed to gain them his patronage
away from competing railroads.
Permission 10 charge small shipper
Just that excess over heavy shipper
which will make good tn railroad tho
extra cost of handling a small lot over
h.g one is n very different thing from
the practice really naulged in by our
transportation companies, They give
tho great man who may hc director in
the company or may he u partner of the
freight agent such rates MS no needs to
crush out his competitors, or Us are
agreeable To him. or such as may be
needed to take the business away from
some other road, Often under these
circumstances the roads carry freight
for the fortunate few for less than
nothing. As between the Standard
Oil Company and the competitors who
still dare resist its determ matt n to
monopolizc the light market ~ proper
difference between handling its large
shipments and their smaller ones might
he one.tenth of cent n barrel, but the
ordinary difference is lo cents barrel
enough to give ii the control of tho
trade.
Under the existing practice precisely
that has happened which Judge Baxter
predicted would happen. The bust
ness Of the country has come to. be
"suhjec; to the will of railroad officials. ="
The success Of enterprises depends as
much on the favor of railroad officials
rs upon the energies and capacities ~.
the parties prosecuting 1T. As iii y
Just Judge holds, IL discrimination IN
favor Of parties furnishing the largest
| quantity of freight is discrimination
in favor o. capital" Such j., exactly
the discrimina ion which the railroads
of this country are making to-day, AMI
| their doing so ls one of the most power
| full causes Of the snndtien growth Of u
| few large fortunes III each great husi-
ness, and of tae harder and harder
| times which are screening dogn on the
| less favored iaen.
But We believe that public opinion,
a. soon rs j. realizes tie full bearing of
the questions involved iii this d:scrin.
nation in rates. will be ready 10 FL
4 farther than Tie courts, and will hs
statute sanction tine doctrine that there
must lac no discrimination in rates.
| The difference in expense between
handling large AMI small amounts
| j. one that railroad men them.
selves cannot calculate. LII il too
| small for accurate analysis, but ii
! would prove large enough in practice
to act is All entrance for the return oi
I'LL the evils of fagoritis,n w!.!ca w
mus escape If We mean 10 escape de
| straction. This he3ng so, tue real soin
ton Of the problem of freight rates il
to D. Sought in the adoption Of tic
principle used ~ the post office i'm ia
transportation II charging AL III
variable rate ior NIL matter Of the same
\ H.. IL
much importance, having Very few
classes If matter.
Tie completely Of railroad freight
tariffs is - piece Of hambng. The rates
are never calculated bv the freight
agents GA the real cost of the service
Thy eha~e What they can get. There
in absolutely no principle Involved II
all the intricate subdivisions III theil
tariffs, The people who pay the
! treiglts have a right to understand