Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-03

REDUCING IRA NSPORT1 TON RATES.
The Interstate commerce commission
has promulgated an order reducing
transportation rates on food products
from Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Mis-
souri, TO Chicago, ST Louis and the
Mississippi river. The rates prescribed
by the commission are in accordance
with the opinion expressed in It's report
made early in June in response to a
resolution of the senate, when the COM
mission held that the charge Of twenty
cents on the hundred pounds of corn and
oats from the Missouri river to Chicago,
and five cents less TO the Mississippi
river, is excessive and to be reasonable
should not exceed seventeen cents to
Chicago and twelve to the Mississippi
river, east side; and also that the rates
on corn and oats in force from stations
in Kansas and Nebraska to the NIssis-
Sippi river, east side, and to Chicago
are two cents in excess Of reasonable
rates. This opinion was the result of a
thorough investi igationprosecuted 10y the
commission under n resolution passed
by the senate last February, and the re-
port submitted to the senate presented
very fully and conyincingly the reasons
for the opinion.
In the early part Of last month the
railroads were summoned before the
commission at Washington to show
cause why the rates should not be re.
duced, and they were represented in
force at the appointed time by their at
torneys, the principal argument for the
roads having been made by Chairman
Walker of the interstate commerce
railway associa tion. Their contention
was, besides the claim that the
transportation rates were as low
as the roads could afford, that
TO order the proposed reduc
tion would in effect be taking private
property for public use without COM
pensation, and therefore an uncon.
stitutional proceeding, and they held
also that the commission had no juris-
diction under tho hecircumshnceS to make
such an order, The interests OF thepro.
ducers were also represented before the
commission, by far he ablest argument
in their behalf having been made by
Ion. G.. NJ. Lam mbertsOn of Ne braska, the
first halfof which is printed inTHE BEE
of this morning, to which we ask
the attention Of all interested in
this very important matter. The
action now taken by the commission
shows that the argument OF the rail.
roads regarding its jurisdiction was
without effect.
The Justice of the reduction the com.
mission has ordered is inquest iOnable,
butit is hardly to be supposed the rail-
roads will submit without a struggle.
They will probably appeal to the courts
on one or both OF the grounds presented
in their argument before the commits
sion namely, that the reduction of rates
by order Of the commission would, in
effect, be taking private property orpub-
lie use without compensation, and that
in issuing the order the commission has
gone beyond its authority and iuris-
dicton. The high character of the
lawyers who compose the commission,
and particularly of its chairman, Jud ge
Cooley, and the fact that the policy of
the commission has been nifOrnly
conservative, warrants a feeling OF con-
fidence that the course taken in this
matter will be sustained by the courts if
the railroads make it a subject of
judicial contest.