Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-13

should be carried from one terminal point
to another like point at a less rate per mile
than from one of the terminal points to a
midway station. But nearly all the man
ufacturers, large shippers and the majority
of the merchants, together with all the
railroad companies opposed the bill, and
gave their reasons fully, and fortified by
examples and figures and the result of ex-
periments in several States The Commits
sion examined into the laws and expert
ences as to raiIroading of Michigan, Iowa,
Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts,, Minnesota
Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, California,
Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and
also of the empire of Germany, and Bel
GUM and England.
The conclusion reached on the topic of
pro rata rates is, that while as Il general
rule railroads should not charge more be-
tween terminal and an intermediate point,
for like class and quantity of freight,
than is charged between such terminal and
a more distant though competitive point,
except where the circumstances governing
such competition justify the higher charge
for the shorter distance yet the proposed
pro rata freight bill should not become
law, is unwise, impolitic and not justifa-
bic.
1t would be very interesting, if space
permitted, to go into the reasons given and
the evidence adduced with fullness, but
mere glance must suffice. The Commission
makes it clear, but without offense, that
there is 4 very great deal Of ignorance, es-
pecially among agriculturists, concerning
the factors that enter into the question
and that in fact the farmer gets, as rule,
his produce moved at better rates than al
most any other class is charged for carriage
in short, all things tend to have articles
staple Of earth growth moved at the mini
mum of cost. And for the very reason
| that they may move, and the great grain
field products Of the country be brought to
market at the lowest possible cost, other
articles are compelled TO bear a higher
rate and for obvious reasons, since it is all
important to all classes that earth pro-
ducts move cheaply. The pro rata theory
says the Commission, is fallacy, not lust
or correct in principle, impracticable in
operation, and increasing rather than cur
ing wyong. For instance, to apply it
would make rates on a large portion of
road too low to pay operating expenses, and
the Commission might well have added,
would thus make one portion of State
pay the cost of transportation lines, out Of
proportion to a Just distribution of the
cost of maintenance.
With the grain rate from Buffalo to New
York at thirteen cents per. 100 pounds,
and the distance $50 miles, there would be
given for a ten-mile haul the absurd figure
of one dollar per carload OF twenty tons.
On the pro rata system, or the uniform
mileage charge on the basis of the through
rate-as fanatics contend should here be
the rue-the rate declines as distance
lessons, until it soon ceases to pay any
thing like cost OF carriage But reverse !
the rule, and start freight at reasonable |
rate for the first ten miles, and its in
crease to Buffalo on the pro rata principle |
would be so far beyond present rates as to
drive business out Of the State, and to iso-
late business to the western part thereof"
Every ton of through freight, carried
for some profit benefits the local shipper;
yet the belief is general among the local
shippers that the difference against them
in favor of through freight is an extortion-
ate discrimination. The earning of profit |
by a railroad must be from its through |
and its local traffic. If the through bust |
ness paws but thirty per cent, then the To- !
cal business must pay seventy per cent. off /
a law eompels a railroad to abandon. or
lose through business, then local business
must make up the sum lost thereby pay
ing higher rates" To enforce a pro rata |
system would promise injury, because fair
rate for a short distance, carried by pro |
rata advances, say the Commissioners, to .
the through point, would be too high to
command any through business, or because |
a rate at the through terminal point, low |
enough TO get through business, would, if .
pro rated on local freight be too low 10
yield an aggregate income sufficient to
maintain the road.
And 50 the Board conclude, that pro |
rata freight laws like equal mileage rate
laws, are generally Objectionable because
of their violation to some extent of inhe-
rent principles living at the basi, of trans
portation." These laws, it adds, and those /
that seek to base charges on the /" cost of /
transportation" difficult as that is of ascer-
tainment, and vague As is the term and
yariously construed-these laws are
straitjackets, preventing, perhaps, some
positive evil aimed at but dulling
the energy and cramping the de
veopment of business. To some ex-
tent they have always been found to
hamper legitimate efforts. at expansion,
and are generally unprerRed for the I'M
expected The pro rata scheme is open to
all the objections which exist against any
attempts to deal with this question by
specific ratc-tixing cnactmentS. Such laws
cannot be simple, for the subject is very
complicated; any attempt heretofore to
put into statute sufficient detail to meet
the complications of railroad transactions
always has left additional details unpro-
vided for and under such statute situa-
tions are constantly arising which bring
the attempt at legislative control into dis
repute"
THE Alta is becoming alarmed. 1t says
The extra session Of the Legislature has al
most run its course and nothing faS resulted
except factional strife and deepcned animosi-
ties How far the hold of the party on the poo