The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-05
THAT CULLOM AMENDMENT.

To the Editor OF the Eagle.
The tone Of T. II. Us communica-
ton in the EAGLE of Jan. 3, carries the
/ implication that the amendment to tho
interstate commerce law as quoted by
/ him, and which was introduced by
Senator CulIom d. request had been
! formulated by railway officials for their
own benefit. The fact is, this amend
ment is the outgrowth OF q circular adj
dressed by the interstate commerce com
t missiOners to the several boards of state
| railroad commissioners; to various
/ boards of trade; chambers of commerce;
/ writers and experts on the subject of
| transportation; to many railway officials,
managers and operators and to numer-
GUS shippers in different parts of the
/ country, in which an opinion was asked
as 10 the practiCability and ACCESSIBILITY
of amending the fifth section Of the act
to regulate commerce $50 as to legalIze
such contracts between competing roads
as would tend to diminish unlawful dis.
elimination and preference in rates and
TO maintain lawfully authorized reason
able rates"
The bill has been prepared with care
and it would seem to be entirely in the
interests of the shipper In the original
act, tue railways are required to give
"three days notice" of an advance in
rates, but if rates so down, they are
allowed ten days in which 10 give legal
notice.
This Is clearly against the shippers of
lartya ptftia- Cf JTnia.
amended section, the railways must give
ten days notice in either case Now if
the suggestion of T.. II. j. could be
adopted, the word ten" would have to
be stricken out and thirty" inserted.
Would it be long before the shipper
would feel that the new law was a
greater hardship than the original law?
That the legaljzing of pool or traffic
agreements between railways would be
beneficial TO the great mass of freight
receivers. Experiences of the past have
demonstrated aud such a course has
been favored by the interstate commerce
commissioners. by Judge Cooley and by
the heaviest shippers OF the country. The
old styles Of pool would not answer for
the reasons given by Z. II. j., but mas
much as the proposed amendment con
NN'Ai fAHt~' Aiit'b bAAC dRlb ldltS
TO be charged under them must first be
submitted 10 the Interstate commerce
commission and receive their approval,
and are liable to cancellation for unjust
rates or unjust determinations, why
would 1t not be better than Mt present:
The experiences Of the business public
for the past five years, demon
strate that they are ready for
IA change. During this period shippers
have experienced greater lamentations
in rates and the necessity of some
amendment 10 the law which would
insure stability and uniformity and
strengthen the provisions OF the law has
been clearly defined. Tire ten-day notice
Is ioEE enough for the good of the peo-
pie. Gives us law permitting a pool
ca q money basis instead Of tonnage
basis and controlled by the interstate
commerce commissioners and il viii not
toe ahrogated 10 suit the within of some
traffic manager who chooses 10 do
little piracy act for his line to the
temporary disadvantage OF other lines
party to the agreement, as was formerly
the case. p. u. ".