New-York tribune., 1890-06-08
RAILROAD INTERESTS.
FREIGHT RATES FROM THE WEST
REPORT FROM THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE
COMMISSION TO THE SENATE.

!
COMMISSION TO THE SENATE.
Washington. June THE Interstate commerce CON-
mission sent TO the Senate to-day report upon tle
Investigation made by IL under a senate rSoiuuon NJ
recr tho commission TO inquire into the truth Of the
a,,to, .ba+ tho long and short haul clause of the
Interstate Commerce Act operated 70 prevent rcdic
,ou of the rates Of transportation OF iood produc'
from the Mississippi Valley The report oes'is WIN
q svnnnsis Of the testimony collected py '''c 'o'o
mission at Topeka. Kan; Lincoln ana o'''h' Nen,
Stony CItv Iowa: Peoria and Chicago boe'o'. baiu
more New-York, Newport News an" ~ -
Tho substance Of this testimony has been printed from
,,n,o % time The Commission then discusses the
unsorah,cness Of cost OF freight transportation al
great length. and says: - o,
The rebates before the act and the VsTy sIy Ias4
lower rates frequently put Ptnr IN ior,r corn and grain
~ ~ nc n birh a. TO encourage frequent ana hurtiu
changes and 10 make reductions 70 secure The
bDSincSs We arc constrained by az ',,c tbe % ~ eoJ
p;r Than i cents 10 Chicago and IL cents 10 the
Mseissppi east side is excessive and that ne ra,cS ats
l,S h eo rcduced ard adjusted, and hucton
shonio @ w - should be made from all stations west
Of the Missouri River in Nebraska ana hah>'1,'
Tho Commission says that the rates on grain from
Kansas and Texas points are unreasoh"oS hsn ior
longer distances and grossly excessive and exoroitan
for the shorter and should be reduced. wheat ana
-four should the same rate when shouin ho' DC
mora Than Is per cent above the rates on corn and
oats Rates on all grain. other than wheat shouh
nav the same rates aS corn. Gram rates from 'ho
Dakotas and Minnesota should be moderated ana ai'
justed. The report continues
We think no better rule applicable to the matter
urdcr invest icaton than that applied by railroads
themselves in accordance with which rates so
adjusted rs 10 secure the largest exchange OF com
m0djtc, In the carriage of the great staples which
supplv nm enormous business and which In market
valne and actual cost al transportation arc among
moderate profit are both in ifablc and necessary.
The rates which We have determined upon a. reason
abln have been arrived at on this basis They are
from 80 10 so per cent higher in proportion TO the
eervce rendered than the rates east Of the Nils
siesnni II estimated on n distance basis.
n was claimed. during this investigation that the
law was hindrancc 10 the reduction
Of the rates grain and other products
for export. II said in support OF this
claim that imports would not enter wher'
thers was not return freight for the ocean
~ very low rates 10 the terminal points and hcN,hy
induce entries Of goods (" he carried over their lines
Tho manner Of conducting this trac In the naSt war
ronts the belief that the roads II pcrmt'"i, woul1
CARR commodities for - port et reduced rates.
Through lines essential - long distance trnnspora
non M reasonable rates and the omission of Congress
70 make necessary provision for them NAV enable
them 10 defeat in part the purposes Of ihis n'csica
ton
The Commission therefore rcncws the recommcndaC
tons Of it, annual reports Of 1a57 -o thai the third
.ccton Of tho act he 50 amended 10 make provision
for through carriage At through rates over connr'ng
lines