Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-09-29
NONE or rms BUSINESS


tFRIsfT So Wt9 kt9tk
The interstate commerce commission,
through Chairman Cooley, filed an opin.
ion in the matter Of the Chicago, ST.
Paul L Kansas City railroad company.
This company, in June last, notified the
commission that, owing 10 the action 81
competing lines lowering mates bc,sesn
Chicago and St Paul aud Minneapolis
it had been obliged TO reduce IL own
rates between those points below the
rates which II could afford to accept 10
intermediate points; 30 that, upon ia
line, there would be greater charges
made upon shorter hanl than npon a
longer in the same direction. and IL sta.
tel that II complaint should ha made Of
this II would undertake 10 Justify Ia ae.
ton under tlie interstate commerce. law.
The commission thercupon made order
for hearing al Dubuque, III uhich this
company would be called upon 10 iuati.
~ is action and for public notification,
so that other companies interested, mud
also any commercial organizations, or
any other party desiring 10 ba heard,
might have an opportunity. Tho hear.
ing was accordingly had, aud ON tho
hearing respondent company gave owl.
dence tending TO show that the action n
had taken was forced npan Il by tie
Burlington 4 Northern railroad eompa.
ny which made a rate between Chicago.
~ raul aud Minneapolis below tl,al
which would be compensatory and DO.
low what II was possible for any com.
petlng lines TO make without actual ioas
and u produced evidence tending
strongly TO show that the Burlington 4
Northern, on the rates IL was making
was not paving upemting expensea Tho
chicago. Milwankeek 81 Paul road also
appeared and offered similar evidence.
taking . similar position 10 that Of Tie
RESPONDENT company.
Tie Burlington s. Northern, on Tho
other hand, Was represented iyy IL ggn.
eral officers, and insisted that H. mites
were remnnerative, and showed tI,at n
was accepting them without making Al
any point greater charge upnn tha
shorter haul The evidence that m -.
ceipts were sufficient 10 cover Operoiin.
expenses was not very strong nu,t IA
clearly appeared that for tho enrreni
year " was falling behind Reapopl.nt
company insisted that tho ro,Irnisstl,,,
shorid either sanction the ratea d was
making 10 Intermediates stations bst,ya,,,,
ITS termini, which were ratea fair ~
themselves, or that il ahonld order ti,a
Burlington h Northern to ipcrnasc ~
. NY. between Chicago and st. Paul and
minneapolis so rs to mako them lust nnd
reasonable y 70 the carriers themselves A.
WI - 20 the public. In other words.
y. y make Them fairly remunaratiye. and
- "as insisted that the provision Of tbs
l a,.a,te commerce law, that All
on la snali be reasonable and lust. was
not complied with unless they were ron.
sohaple and Just, considered from III.
s s.'ii OF the railroad company az
we Men as from that Of the general pnbIic
!. me burlington h Northwestern. n wss
isnereiore contended, was In constant Viz,
nhuoh OF the Interstate commerce Law h
Lihkihg rates 10 low that neither ilacii
nor its rivals could accept them witbont
= sseauy ana destructive drain npon ~
Inc principal question. tbsrafo.o
i ihlsed before the commission Al III.
rearing was whether II had Tie power b.
sSonlpei the Burlington x Northern ~
Increase It's rates TO q remnneyat;Sc
1871 ,,oi. - w hney are found to be below lhal
point. This question Il diaonssedt ' ~
tlle opinion. The Commission d,ssiai ~
possessing any such power n hnias
ii congress, in the provision rr mV,ns
. ~, MI rate! to be reasonable and i,as
was was legislating for the protector = ~
general public, aud not for ths n y, sne
~ ~ the railroad companiaa sse;ss.
a,le action Of their own manaoasa ain -.
!. asainst the unreasonable connst;,is,n os
rlyas, and that IL was never ~ 0s cor. Of
pnilon OF congress that h aLa,Jh 'e N
n WITHIN the power Of the commiss,o a pe
o,';'e an Increase In rates which Il, W
SG ,,., ought to have b asn IN MT. its
1; Higner than they were. In tbis re ,naae
y was supposed that the raiIro s dIespeos
pa anies had ample remedy In tbsir com a,.l.
s nanas' IN the authority which ihnY own ,,s
sess; to make rates, and that ' ny pos
soesl1n needed from tie @ov sus pro, pro.
W Saa Inc protection Of those Who ynsld
s%o,' Compelled to pay the rates w9 ,ht
alt ahs net profits Of the State fo,r