Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-09
A LARGE FIELD FOR ACTION.
Plenty of Work For the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
GENERAL RATE MANIPULATING.
All the Western Roads Involved,
But the Very Idea OF Being
Punished scofrcd at by
the Guilty Ones.



CHICAGO, Oct. S.-[Special Telegram to
TnE Bee There is apparently large
field in the west for action by the Interstate
commerce commission 1t was supposed last
night that the Chicago, St Paul & Kansas
City was the only road manipulating rates
between the Missouri river and Chicago
To-day's developments show that every
Missouri river road has been doing prac
tically the same thing. The only difference
in the manipulation was that some of tho
roads gave rebates and others billed tho
freight out fiat at a cut rate. Others rebilled
in transit, taking the lowest proportional
rate. Said one of the freight men who ac.
Knowlcdged to your correspondent that he
had manipulated the rate:
EVERY Missouri river road was in it, and
1t would probably have never come to the
surface had it not leaked out through
the rebate vouchers of the Chicago st.
Paul Il Kansas City having been presented
TO the Kansas City, st. Joseph & Council
Bluffs. The whole thing originated with
the difficulty between the Rock Island and
the Alton on'the Kansas City Chicago pro-
portion of the through rate. The roads got
to monkeyng with the proportions and the
amount of it is that none of them stopped
short of manipulation"
Asked as TO whether he thought the Of
Tending lines would be punished under the
provisions of the Interstate commerce act,
he replied:
well, If they are, every western freight
| agent will be looking tnropgh the bars. Pun
ish us' l should say not
Now that the whole deal has been exposed
none OF the roads seem to care for the cou-
sequences. IL any are tineu by the association
all must be fined, aud it will simply be
a fne
the Interstate commerce commission taking
summary action is concerned the very idea
is laughed to Scorn. Should "a conviction be
secured-and the proof in this case as in
many Others, is ampe-the roads would all
combine to test the ConsttutiOnaity of the
Interstate commerce act 1t is the openly
expressed opinion of Chicago railroad men
that the commission does not want the con
sttutOnality of the law tested and that
refuge will be taken behind the clause which
makes prosecution optional with the commits.
sion unless complaint is filed So far as
knewn the following roads have manipulated
grain: The Rock island. Burlington and
Santa Fe, each 5000 cars; Wabash, ZOO
cars; Chicago, st. Paul X Kansas City, l,9OO
cars: Alton, 500 cars; St Paul, 400 cars.
In view of the above an exceedingly
cOmiCal occurrence took place to-day in the
outh.westcrn division of the Western
Freight association. 1T was learned tnat the
Missouri Pacific had in two cases manipu-
lated rates from i to 2Sl cents on shipments
FROM Kansas City to st. Eouis, and that the
Kansas CITY, Fort Scott & Memphis had
likewise manipulated rates on one shipment
between st. Louis and Memphis. The Mis-.
souri, Pacific was fined 800 for each offense
and the Kansas City, Fort Scott II Memphis
was docked 500 for ITS transgression. All
this time every road voting the fines knew
itself and its members were tenlold offenders
to the two reads fined. The auditing depart
ment OF the Interstate Commerce Railway
association is stll compiling figures on the
recent manipulatlons, but it is doubtful
If any of them will ever
get into print. The exposure, which
was exclusive in this correspondence, has
set on foot determined effort to anialga-
mate the different western associations. IL
has been absolutely demonstrated that the
present associations are pOWcrless to pre-
vent rate cutting and are consequently want.
ing III the main object of their organization.
1t is now proposed to form all the lines be-
tween Chicago and Ogden into one associa-
ton, with freight and passenger depart
ments. 10 prevent rate cutting 1t is pro-
posed TO make each line deposit - 600 all of
which is to be forfeited in case of any cut or
manipulation. The plan is, however, in its
INFANCY and may never materiallze
To Raise the Denver Passenger Rate.
CHICAGO, Oct. S-TSpecial Telegram to
THE BEEl-A meeting of the Western
States Passenger association is called for to-
morrow to consider IA proposition TO raise the
S26 Denver passenger rate to its old figure of
s30.65.
The attempt seems almost foredoomed 10
failure the Alton railroad reduced the
rate openly because IL had been cut to the
S26 ligure by its competitors. Even at the
S26 rate, tickets have lately been manpu-
lated down to So, as detailed in this cores
pondence, and the Alton will not agree 10
the advance unless it is secured against
further manipuiations by its competitors.
The Alton Rcients Tor Time.