Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-20
WHEETING Daily REUNOIEnN IUEoDAI, AfhII ~, 1000.

2 road company can demonstrate thatS load
ed ca can be hauled a given distance 10
= less than nothing
, The amendment proposed does not pro
} vide that the charge shall be in proportion
/, 70 the distance, or ~ a rate per mile;
Simply requires that railroads snail no
charge a greater SUI Tor the sam l o
~treigbt for q shorter haul than it does toi
O longer haul, which includes the shorter
Shippers are willing that the railroads snaL
receive fair and remuneratiye rates; they
do not complain 90 much OF the rates o;
they do of the unfairness of dlscrimlns'
tons that gives one section advantages
over another section, one town over an
other town, and 4 set OF manufacturers
over other manufacturers; that makes
lands in one locality worth more than IN
another locality less eligi5ly situated with
reference to the markets. And they eS'
pecially complain to zee carloads OF the
same kind OF freight passing their doors
from more distant points to the same
markets at less cost than thsy pay Tor
transporting the same class OF freight 10
the same market q less distance.
Albert Fink, Trunk Line Commissioner,
and perhaps the highest authority on rail-
road traffic in this country, Gays IN his evl-
dence before your committee, on page 81 {:
The local charges a always be prop
erly regulated
WHEN PRoPER THROUGH TARIFFS ARE MAIN
TANNED;
Hence the frat object should be to secure
the maintenance of properly adjusted
through tariffs that are reasonable 10 the
public and to the railroads. This done
there will be no difficulty in ad justlng local
tariffs and preventing unjust dlscrlnins,
ton. Il is a rule generally adopted b9 all
railroads to properly adjust local tariffs to
the through tariffs when the latter are
reasonable and fairly remuueratiVe. For
example, the tariffs of the Peunsylvanis
railroad are SO arranged that no higher
charge is made from any station east oil
Pittsburgh to Philadelphia than from Fits
burgh to Philadelphis, nor from any sta
ton this side OF Chicago than from Chica-
90. This is a rule generally adopted by
all roads"
Senator Hsrris-Never to charge more
for a short than for a long distance?
Mr.. Fink-I do not say never, because
there are conditions under which this may
be done without any Injustice; but II Is the
general rule in making tariffs, that when
ever a proper through tariff is established,
under which the railroads can live, they
regulate all the local charges 80 as not to
cause any unjust discrimination between
the through aud local rates; but when the
railroads get into q fight, as some OF them
are at present, and when they charge III or
II cents a hundred on grain from Chicago
TO New York, less than the cost OF trans
portation, not because such low rates are a
commercial necessity, bat simply because
the companies can not control the mslnte'
nance of reasonable rates on account OF die
sension among themselves, then the loca!
rates can not be graded down to suit those
through rates, aud unjust discrimination
between local and through rates is the IN
avoidable result.
The Chsirmsu-You say the local rates
can not be graded down?
Mr.. F:uk-They can be, of course; bat
the result would be that the roads would
very SCOT have to stop running, because
they would not make enough money to
pay their operating expenses; and 1t 10 IN
his way that the great difficulty arises,
which has given Just cause to much com
olaint, that in times Of war between the
railroads, when proper, we'll regulated tar
ifs are not maintained, the local interests
suffer, ana unjust discrimination exists
The remedy, however, is not to put down
the local rates, but to put the through
rates to a proper basis which would be Just
and reasonable both to the public and the
railroads.
The Chairusn-bo you mesn BY the
Governmeut2
Me. Fink-That is the question. There
can be no doubt that there must be some
control exercised over the railroad tariffs
hat will prevent unjust discrimination. 1t
tue railroads can not govern themselves,
then | think it is proper that the Govern
ment should step in and give cid to the
railroads. In that cage the question would
he whether the Government can give any
aid at all, and what that aid should be-.
Fl will be observed that Mr.. Fink, who
-peaks with as much knowledge aud al.
thority !rop 9 railroad standpoint as any
man in this country
COMEDIES II JUSTICE
of the long and short haul principle, but
assumes that through rates must control
the local rates; and SIS the railroads, by
reason OF competition, rate cutting and rate
wars, cannot control the through rates,
hat the locsl rates must not be controlled.
That is to say, that railroad managers must
be allowed ID cut each others throsts on
long hsuls from competing points and make
up the deficiency on the balance OF the
country by higher rates on shorter hauls.
Mr.. President, is it not plain that it Mr..
! Fink will reverse his proposition and give
| stability and something like uniformity to
local rates he will solve the problem Of
unifcruity and stability to through rates?
For if railroads ere prohibited from charg.
in, m1re for a short tbau Tor slcnger haul,
which includes the shorter haul, and they
know that competition and f~ate-cutting at
distant points mesns rste-cutting sill through
! 70 the end of the line in the sSme direction,
4 WOLtQ lDS ECAu7 nut 10 iOASVO AZ ~ PAN
s~srvstion 10 maintain UIifcrn and fair
through rates 10 order to maintain proper
tomato local rates2 And why should not
! the local rates be made to govern the
! through rcte; to the extent that the charge
for q shart haul snsGiG net exceed the
charge for the longer haul7 The more
| especially since the intermediate points
supply so much the larger proportion OF
the freight.
An railroads must depend chiefly for
support Oh the traffic originating along the
lines lines OF their roads, and for that
reason to encourage and build up their 10,
cal business. This is o wellrecognized
fact. Then why should this great prepon'
de-auce of local traffic be subordinated to
the csprices Of q comparatively small
amouni Of tEef2c from through comPer'
tive points,
Take, for instance, the
TONNAGE OVER THE PENNSYLVANIA Rail