The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-10-23
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.


The Rule Regarding Shipments OF Cattle
I'm Car Iots-Throueh Rates and Mileage
Regarding Shipments of Lumber from
the south by Rail and Water.
The Interstate commerce commission
has rendered three important de-
cisions In the case of Lenord and
Chappell against the Chicago and Alton
railroad the commission decides that car
riers can rightfully substitute for the
practice OF charging carload rates on
cattle, irrespeC tive OF weight, the rule that
while a carlot in named a minimum weight
for n carload is prescribed, and any excess
over the minimum is TO be charged
for by the hundred pounds In
proportion TO the carlot rate. The COM
plainants urged the commission to
conform TO the State laws and rulings OF
Kansas and Missouri State commissioners
under which shippers OF cattle to points
within the State had the right to load cars
without regard to weight at a stated price
car. The commission held, however,
that State action could not be allowed to
control In matters within the Federal
jurisdiction, and that the grant To tho
Federal government OF the power to regu
late Interstate commerce is full and
complete and can not be narrowed or en-
croached upon by State authority either
directly or indirectly.
In an opinion on the case of McMorran
g. Harrington, grain dealers at Port
Huron, Mich, against the Grand Trunk
and the Chicago d Grand Trunk roads,
Commissioner Schoonmaker says:
Though rates are not required to be
made on a mileage basis. nor local rates
to correspond with the divisions Of n Joint
through rate over the same line. Mileage
IL ql Of i'm, nd
due regard TO distant proportions should
be observed in connection with the other
considerations that are material in fixing
transportation charges.
The complaint TIA an Scent rate on
grain fron Port Huro on 70 Buffalo was un-
reasonable as compared with through
rate o. Is cents n hundred pounds from
Chicago to Buffalo was. not sustained, but
no good reason havinrIj cen shown for n
higher rate on grain products that portion
of the complaint is sustained and tho pro-
ducts ordered to be carried al the sams
rate as grain.
Commissioner Morrison in deciding the
case OF Abbott against the East Tennessee
railroad, which is charged with illegal dis
elimination i'm lumber rates from Ten
nessae points 20 Poston. says:
"Combined rail and water competition
Mt longer distance. point does not Justify
n greater charge for the shorter distance,
while the shorter distance point is main
tanned v the carrier at points where the
competition is of greater force and moro
controlling than Mt thu longer distenc,
point; such greater charge is not justified
by the fact that local rates have been first
paid on lumber 70 the longer distance
points, nor by The fact that the freight is
shipped in cars from the longer distance
points which brought machinery to those
points and for which profitable return
loads were not always TO Ice had nor by
difference in the bulk aud value Of thu
lumber when the published rate sheets put
the lumber in the same class and at the
same rate.
'HWhile distance Is not always con-
trolling element in determining what is a
reasonable rate there is ordinarily no bcttcr
measure of railroad service in carrying
goods than the distance they are carried
ond when the rate of freight charges over
1ne line in sending freight carried from a
neighbNrng territory 10 the same market
is considerable greater than over other
lines for distances rs long or longer such
greater rate is held to be excessive and
should be reduced. ~