The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-12-07
COMMERCE COMMISSION.
Points In the Report OF the Interstate
Commerce COmmlsaioners

~NAAAAE@
S"cnSc SOMMiSStON.
" mo report Oh the interstate
commerce Commissioners.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 2-The annual report Of
the Interstate Commerce Commission is now
In type. and the completed volume will be
ready Tor distribution in few days. The fol-
lowing summary Of its contents is given:
From the best information Cow available the
railroad mileage OF the country on the 10th day
OF June, 1873 was estimated at l52, 7SI, of which
2,3l2 miles had been completed and brought
into operation within the SIX months preceding
mat DAY. The railway construction in 1886 was
S4'1 miles; IN 1885, 1t was 12.6sS miles. The
number OF corporations represented In thessmile-
age Is l,25l, but by reason OF leases or other
contract arrangements many corporations hold
control OF and operate one or more roads owned
by other corporations, and the whole number
making reports Of operation at the date named
was Co.,
summary Of the formal complaints Is as fol-
lows: or q total of 1O7 cases submitted the re-
cord is: Heard and decided. so; not yet de
cided 6; hearing not completed, o; withdrawn
and settled, -; suspended by request 10; as
signed for hearing. g.
Reference is made to the long and short haul
case Of the Chicago, St. Paul Kansas CITY
railroad, which is set for a hearing on the 18th
inst The case ,s an impor,nnt one an A will no
thoroughly investigated
The renort then takes mn the subiect n, IN.
effect of the Interstate Commerce act unon
common carriers and COWS ,bat oI,ho,,h snro
railroad anspers have declared II To have had
n DAMAGING effect the Commjss,on ia nossessed
OF no evidence showing that the general resuIt
has been otherwise than henef,ciaJ
Railroad business has suffered in the mast
year not because of the Interstate Commerce
act, but owing to strikes new parallel lines
and rnte wars With reference tn the rate
wars in the Northwest and among the trunk
lines during the GEAR IN. renor, s,vs.
"As ia commonly the case in raie wars the
trunl, line ditnculties rcsu,,ed from spsnicions
on the part of carriers respectively that their
competitors were cutting the omen rates and
reductions vere made 10 recover freight which
parties 10 the apreemen, claimed was their
due, but which they were not getting because
of this secret cutting nv others
efforts of the Commission n obt in evi-
dence OF the practices suspected have been
wholly Intellectual and the war of rates pro
ceeds without possibility of external authority
interposing to bring il To an end. The legal
right OF the roads to reduce their general scale
of rates to any extent under the law as il now
stands is believed TO be unouestionable. thew
have done so, and whether. with any ultimate
benefit TO themselves. ia nj least very question
able.'
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-. i".5 "a uoaaou"ois ~" ia'e'' 'no
- oi'en ~, s'oeh !oooihs pul-
oo., ~ nope' ,ne pui.Mase VI W. ioau "
npons iines. nooo sel.ne anu un III,
u o.. Az" a.o ie"s lne puu
=. ".i ,,i ooIo.s W iau AIS, out ~ VII
49, oe Do W "na. aIe iaIr La.es
Vi uiepo'.u e'e"u'y 70 assent " 'hei ni''i"'e
nan.o 50 iohs aa iaii oau hi'n'5 % III 'noIi "o
sutu anu u. 81 ""is' orc peipe.uany anu
~ 'no ,1ost enipnat'o ni,nneI' oy cutting .her
ia'Ss' inio' ming INC Pupuo 'na' soine 'ihs ieSs'
perpaps erealiy ie>S, eau oc alo' ueu.
iue rePor. s"ss. IL - ie3sonaoie W eAPeo'
rarrie's Vi 'nc country WILL "nere pracucaoie'
n"N9 !o,"s arrangements 50 'nat 'no Puono
sh'ii nhu an arrangement Win one adequate
nOr the purposes vi any sihsle transaction.
ihcie >houiu We so"e ic'ns Vi enforcing anione
carriers 'he oohsa'ionS, "oral or lega'' .mat
Mou'u gro" OUT Vi sucn arranEenents. me
ohiy ehee'u"i nieans ny "aic" soou toiln
can oe enlorceu was tne poonng oi
reisnt OF earnings put Poohhg Is no"
OUT Vi .neir power oeins ioroiouen
ny law. Inc tenueucy among the rairoaas
seems hkeiy 70 De In the olrecuon OF consolina-
tion as the only means Oh mutual protection
against rate wars. But any thihs equlvaient 10
sible, even IL the parties were at liberty TO form