The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-11

tendency is largely due TO the act. A point
must some time be reached where further
rate reductions will prove pernicious to the
public veal by compelling unwise and per-
haps fatal reductions of expenditures in
railway maintenance and service, as well
as forcing bankruptcies and the CONNER
cial disasters that follow in their train.
During the first year of the operation
of the law of 1887 it was discovered that
it operated so heavily to the advantage of
the strong roads which gave the best ser
vice and the best time, and against the
weak roads that the weak roads
in their desperation to secure traffic
began the payment of commits
sions" to . shippers friend to Sc
cure the routing of his busi-
ness to given line. Other devices were
used; the payment of rent, clerk hire,
dock charges, elevator fees, drayage, the
allowance of exaggerated claims, free
transportation within some single state,
etc; all to evade the plain requirements of
the law. and the attainment of
its main object, the prevention
IL.
weakness of the law the Fiftieth congress
adopted, March 2, 1889, amendments by
which shippers as well as carriers were
made subject to its penalties; the punish
ment of imprisonment was added to the
fine in case of unjust discrimination. and
joint tariffs were distinctly brought within
the jurisdiction Of the commission and the
courts. The third year witnessed an al
most entire cessation Of the use of illegiti-
mate methods for securing business, but
the fourth year, 1890, witnessed renewed
display of the spirit of disobedience
and secret evasion that had pre-
vailed in 1888. Shippers and railway
officials refused to testify before grand
juries upon the ground that they
would incriminate themselves or the COM
panies. The local courts held the point
not well taken and it is now pending be-
fore the United States Supreme Court for
review. Even if the court should sustain
the contention of these contumacious
witnesses, prosecutions under the law
would not be blocked except in cases
where evidence of the offense cannot be
obtained save from the guilty parties.
The railway pool, as it formerly existed,
is forbidden by the Interstate Com
merce Act and pools were aban-
doned in 1887. Col. Walker thinks
that thorough system of pools
would secure the regulation of unhealthy
competition that is absolutely necessary.
Laws have beenpassed in some stateswhich
have served to partially nullify the Inter-
state Commerce law, esince the regulation
of state traffic by rail by state authority
necessarily embarrasses the regulation of
interstate traffic by congress. Col. Walkerbe-
lieves in the fundamental principles of the
law and the propriety of federal legislation
upon this subject, and among its results
he notes hesitation to engage in i'm
portant railway construction and an in
creased tendency toward the consolidation
of lines and the unifcation of interests
because of its severe pressure upon weaker
roads.
Concerning the 'short haul" section,
Colonel Walker points out that under this
section the commission has ruled that
''dissimilar circumstances and conditions
emitting carrier by rail to make lesser
charge for the longer than for the shorter
haul might be made out in cases of actual
competition with carriers by water not
subject to the law, with foreign or purely
state railroads not subject to the law, and
also in rare and peculiar cases of COMPETE
ton with other railroads which are sinh
ject to the law where the general rule
would be destructive of legitimate compe-
tition."
The interstate commerce law has
worked to the advantage Of the great
points of importation, production and
distribution and to the disadvantage of
the minor cities and towns which had
formerly been jobbing points or trade GEN.
tiers in their interior states.