The Portland daily press., 1888-12-01
LONG AND SHORT HAUL DISCUSSED
In the Report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission,
With Some Observations on the
Frequent Rate Wars,
And the Beneficial Effect of the New
State of Things.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30--The annual re-
port Of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion is long. After dealing with various
statistics it says that during the year fifty
cases have been heard and decided and six
have been heard but not decided. In nine
the hearing is incomplete, twenty-three have
been withdrawn or settled and ten suspended
by request, while nine have been assigned
for hearing. In speaking of the long and
short haul, the report says: In the section Of
the country North of the Potomac and East
of the Missouri in which greater charges
were made for short transportation, the cir
cumstances are such that complaint is not
often made that they operate oppressively.
Reference is made t. the action of the
Chicago, st. Paul and Kansas City Railroad
last July in reducing very largely its rates
between the termini of its road without
reducing intermediate rates and the fact
that the road subsequently practically
rescnded its action at the instance of the
competition is still recognized by roads
to some extent as controlling through
rates upon overland traffic and Is relied up
pom as justification for somewhat higher
rates to points this side of the Pacific coast
terminals than are made to points situated
directly on the Pacific coast. 1t is claimed
that freight is taken to the latter point at
low rates by clipper ships to be there con-
consumed or sent forward to points in the
vicinity at local charges With this eXcep-
tion and some others of minor importance,
the rule of the short haul provision of the
law has been put in force upon transconti-
mental roads, where its operation and effect
can be observed under what now appears
favorable conditions. In the Southern
States, the carriers move more slowly in
bringing their tariffs into conformity with
the general statutory law The commission
has therefore ordered an investigation of the
whole subject on the 18th of December.
The report takes up the subject of the In
ter-State Commerce act upon common car
riers, and says that, although some railroad
managers declared 1t had a damaging effect,
the commission has no evidence showing the
general result to have been otherwise than
beneficial. In reference to trunk line rate
wars, the report says the effect Of the decis-
ions of the commission have been towards
Improvement in the relations between car
riers. The wars had their origin in suspi-
clons on the part of the carriers respectively
that their competitors were not observing
open public rates The efforts of the com.
mission to obtain from the parties evidence
of the practices they suspected have been
wholly Intellectual. The legal right of car
riers to reduce general rates to any extent is
unquestionable. The law does not assume
that railroad companies will need protection
against their rates being made unreasonably
low, and it has not conferred
upon the commission any power
to order an increase of rates.
1t is important that rates be remunerative.
Good service and unreasonably low rates are
antagonistic ideas. The question aften be-
comes OF high moment whether as a broad
proposition it is wiser to meet the reduced
rates Of the competitor or let the business 60.
The report also speaks of the necessity of
unity among railroads in arrangements for
serving the public.
The commission recommends that some
place be provided other than Castle Garden
for the reception of immigrants, at New
York and that interior roads be allowed to
sell tickets there subject to proper restric-
tions. The recommendation of last year that
express companies be forbidden to raise
their rates suddenly and without notice is
| renewed