Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-12-13
AFTER THE ROADS. !
Interstate Commerce Commission
Makes It's Report
Talks Plainly on the Violations and
EMISSIONS of the Law by Traffic Carry
ing Corporations Remedies
TO Reform Evils.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-The eighth an
nual report of he interstate commerce
commission ranges through variety
of subjects, synopsis of which is here
given:
Regarding criminal and civil procedure tho
commission says the law does not clothe it
with detective or prosecuting functions, its
connection with the criminal side Of the law
ending with its report to the department OF
Justice. It is the duty OF shippers, railroad
managers and citizens generally, says the
commission 10 assist the government In run
ming down violations OF the statute
designed to protect their interests Transpor-
tation should not be regarded as a part OF the
private business OF shippers. II should be
viewed as an agency provided under govern
ment sanction. It recommends that the car
rying corporations be made indictable and
SUBJECT to ane for violation OF the act
Discussing the long and short haul clause,
the commission says Due observance Of that
clause viii encourage legitimate and restrain
illegitimate competition IN the carrying trade.
The report speaks OF the unreasonable
freight rates from Chicago and Cincinnati to
northern points Of the unreasonable rates on
wheat and OF the failure of many carriers TO
post their tariffs as required by law.
Speaking OF the classification OF freights
the commission refers 10 the progress
already made toward harmonious rail-
road operation which is desirable for
the public interest and explains the necessity
to provide a single classification Of commodi-
ties for the whole country. Uniform eassid-
cation, the report says depends upon the
passage OF a statute requiring its accomplish
ment, and the commission recommends that II
be directed to make and prescribe within a
time TO be named for such classification.
The relation Of railroad receivers to the law
G raffrrQn IN and In iS ttruei TINT tha atfffnda
of a receiver to the law is precisely that Of the
corporation whose affairs have not been taken
control of by the court
Concerning overcharges and undercharges
the report declares that carriers ought to pub
fish their tariff rates and schedules plainly
enough and employ agents sufficiently skilled
to enable them to correctly quote rates to
shippers.
Among other topics considered by the COM
mission are changes IN transportation rates:
through rates and through routes; pooling OF
freights and divisions Of earnings The COM
mission refrains from expressing any opinion
on the subject of government owernshipofrail
roads. and states its reasons for not investgat-
ing the great strike Of 1894, among which are
facts that the controversy includes matters
outside of the commissions jurisdiction. Re.
ferring TO railroad financial embarrassments
the report intimates that many reeeiverships
we're the natural sequence Of mismanagement
decentralization and ill-advised projecting
The report bristles with figures in its allu-
sion to railway statistics, showing that or
June 80, 1898, there we're l,764 601 miles Of line
In the United States being an increase during
the year of 4S97.55 The tendency toward con-
solidation is shown by the fact that twenty
eight roads were merged, twenty roads were
reorganized and sixteen roads consolidated
into other systems. The capitalization Of the
roads was s10,506235.4l0, equivalent to s63, 42l
per mile OF line. The gross earnings were
81 200 75i S74; the operating expenses 1897 e2l. :
300. leaving net earnings of 1898, sSO,575 which
is equivalent TO s2,3l4 per mile of line
Various recommendations for amendments
TO the act are suggested in accordance with
plans mentioned in the body of the report
which among other things convey suggestions
regarding legislation, authorizing the COM
mission TO investigate threatened labor con-
! tests on railways and TO require annual re-
ports from various companies whose business
is closely related to that of transportation.