Wichita eagle., 1889-03-20
INTERSTATE COMMISSION.
Several Witnesses Testify to Violations Of
the Law.

commerce commission today resumed its
hearing in the matter of export rates and
the methods adopted by the trunk lines IN
computing them. o. g. Murray, traffic
manager of the Chesapeake & Ohio; w.
p. Walker, Jr., of the Kanawha Dispatch
Fast Freight line John Porteous, general
manager of the Northern Dispatch line: j..
Z. Childs, general manager of the New
York, Ontario & Western; Mr. Harrlott,
nj the Baltimore & Ohio; Mr.. FELTON,, of
The Erie; Mr. Spiers, of the Lehigh Valley;
Mr.. Haas, of the Richmond q DanvIile
and Mr.. Hays, of the Wabash Western,
were examined.
The gist of the evidence was that, with
few exceptions, the inland published rates
had not for some months been maintained
Rome of the roads had made an effort to
maintain them, and IN consequence had
practically lost their export business. The
lake Shore and Michigan Southern
had in a very few months, from carrying
s. per cent of the export business, dropped
to 7 per cent Other roads had suffered
Mute as severely.
General Manager Hays, of the Wabash
Western was called and answered several
questions put to his colleague, Mr., Hopkins
at Saturday session by Judge Strong, 'coun-
eel for the Lake Shore. He said that his
road had not for some time maintained a
uniform inland rate. and that the inland
pyport rates were often less than the
domestic seaboard rate,
Mr.. Porteous, of the National Dispatch
line. said that he had no knowledge of any
manipulation of export rates by his COM
pany, and in consequence Of Its eXacting
full inland rates, it had lost large share
of its business. The import rates from
Liverpool 10 Chicago during the last six
months, he said, have been considerably
less than the rates from seaboard points
TO Chicago, the proportion being about -
to -.
Mr.. Harriott, of the Baltimore and
Ohio. explained that, in making their eX-
port rates, the steamship companies fixed
their tariff. to which the railroad company
added their inland rate This inland rate
had been fairly well maintained.
Mr.. Haas, of the Richmond and Dan
Vile, said that the situation of the south
ern roads was wholly different from that
of the trunk lines, because of the fact that
they have no regular lines of steamers
plying between southern and foreign
ports. and hence they are dependent upon
tramps whose rates are often much higher
than those of the regular lines.
1t seemed to be the universal opinion of
The freight managers present that uni
form through export tariff could not be
maintained, as in that case the railroad
would be at the mercy of the steamship
companies. The opinion was general that
n full inland rate could be maintained as
contemplated by the law, and that faith
ful observance of the law would result in
good to all concerned.
Chairman Cooley then said: 81 made the
statement awhile ago that we propose, at
the request of gentlemen here representing
the southern roads, to give them hear
inc. and they have named for that pur-
bose two weeks from tomorrow. We
should be glad to announce an earlier
date if practicable, but we do
not find that it is | do not know
that there is any reason why 1t should be
Earlier except that this sort of thing which
has been going on at the north, of which
think the evidence is abundant, may per-
hans continue unless the commission
makes some deliverance on the subject
now.
I'VE do not want to be compelled to an
nounce an opinion on so important mat
Ter without careful deliberatlon. nor until
those southern gentlemen have been heard
But it is very manifest that there have
been things going on here that should stop
at once They never ought to have been
done. and if they should cease forthwith
there would be no reason why we should
not take two months or even little
longer time, for final expression of opinion.
A
compliment Mr.. Hays, of the Wabash
Western for coming forward and stating
frankly lust what the facts were as re
cards his own road. We should have been
better satisfied if a like course had been
taken 10y all others. They must all be sat
isfied now that what they have been doing
has not been justified by the law and there
should be no more of it. They ought all
now to do what no doubt Mr.. Hays will do,
namely, in a manly manner, endeayor to
comply with the law. Our purpose is not
to hurt anybody, but to be of service 10
The community in seeing that the law is
observed: and while we have fixed two
weeks from tomorrow for the hearing of
these southern gentlemen, in the mean
time we expect the parties to take up the
law and study it, and see that, so far as
their own roads are concerned, it is lived
mp to.
Here is the law, and it is not for you
hereafter to say to us that there are prac-
teal obstacles in the way of complying
with it, that you would lose business bg
SO doing, and all that sort OF thing. We
are not concerned in that. We do not wish
TO do anything to make you lose business;
at the same time we can not accept ii as a
valid excuse that If you obey the law you
will thereby lose business. The time
ought TO be considered as gone by when a
manager can come TO us and say: i
named this rate, and did it regardless OF
law. because my competitor had done the
same thing"
There is no excuse for that practice II
wrong is done by one road to the injury
of another the proper method of redress is
not TO duplicate the wrong but TO go before
the common authority, whether il be the
commission or the voluntary association,
with complaint of the wrong. One crime
In railroad oircles is no more TO be excused