The record-union., 1895-09-13

! SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12.-The freight
rate problem came up again this after
noon before the Railroad Commission.
| Chairman La Rue and Commissioner
Stanton having already declared them
/ selves, had nothing further to offer, but
/ Commissioner Clark had prepared new
resolution. which he offered as substi-
tute for everything heretofore submitted
on the question Of grain.
Mr.. Clark's proposed resolution read
as follows:
"ResojUed, That the grain rates now
existing over the Southern Pacific Com
pany's lines in California, as established
| by grain tariff No. and subsequens
amendments thereto, be and the same are
hereby reduced au average of 10 per cent,
and from Sacramento San Joaquin and
Salinas Valleys and other points simi-
| lary situated and for like distances be
made uniform to points of destination;
and that the Secretary of this board is
hereby directed to prepare a schedule OF
rates IN accordance herewith, to serve
copy of the same on the railroad COM
/ pany affected thereby-the reduction TO
take effect as soon as required by law"
! Mr.. Clark offered few words of YER
! bal explanation In regard to his resolu-
ton and his reason for offering the same.
ID was opposed, he said, to a horizontal
reduction, as be considered that TO do so
would be to violate the law as laid down
by Attorney General Fitzgerald. The lat
ter had declared against all dlscrimina-
tlons and 10 make any horizontal reduc-
ton would be to establish and fix all ex-
listing instances of discrimination. There
tore lie favored an average reduction.
Chairman LaRue and Commissioner
Stanton both disapproved OF the proposed
substitute and voted against it, of course
defeating Ii, as il received only Commits
sioner CIark's single vote.
DR.. StantOn's amendment to the origi-
nal LaRue resolution was then brought
up. The LaRue resolution, as will be re-
mem bered, proposed TO put into effect a
horizontal cut OF 10 per cent. on all exist
ing grain rates, excepting that between
certain specified points. The reduction.
while horizontal one, was made 20 per
cent DR.. Stanton, in his amendatory res
olutiOn, proposed to make a horizontal
cut IN grain rates OF per cent, providing
al the same time for eftecting general
average reduction OF p per cent. on the
rates charged on all commodities at pres
ent, an investigation 10 be first held in
order that this general reduction may be
justly apportioned. 1t should be eX-
planned, too, that the amendment pro-
posed 10 give the railroad company credit,
as against the proposed 20 per cent. re-
ductiOn, for such cuts as they have made
since the beginning of 1894.
DR.. Stanton, when his amendment was
called up, spoke q few words III support
OF it, ex planning that he considered that
an per cent. reduction was all that could
justly be given the grain-growers, since
the shippers OF other commodities were
also entitled TO reductions. If all the
cutting was to be done on grain nothing
would be done in regard to other COM
modities.
Mr. LaRue regretted that his colleagues
had not come around to his idea OF the
matter. He was satisfied that the grain
shippers were fully entitled to the 10 per
cent. reduction which he had suggested.
He appealed particularly to Commis-
sioner Clark, who represented, he said,
great graln-growing section, to do some-
thing to rslieve the sutferings of his con-
stituents. He moved TO amend DR. Stan
toms amendment by substituting IA per
cent for the proposed S per cent reduce
ton on grain rates.
The amendment was voted down by
Commissioners Clark and Stanton, as
were several others offered by Mr.. LaRue
and by which he descended l per cent, at
a time until he had come down to . per
cent This, too, was voted down and a
vote was called for on Stanton's resolu-
ton unamended.
Commissioner Clark wanted the ques-
tlOn OlNlQCu, LlaL IDG . per C9QC. grain
rate reduction might be voted on by it
self, without reference to the proposed
general average reduction of % per cent.
The latter proposition he considered too
indefinite TO be voted on.
DR.. Stanton was opposed to the division
of the question, but Chairman LaRue
ruled that it could be separated in the
manner suggested, and Stanton withdrew
his objection. A vote was then taken on
the proposed per cent. grain rate reduc-
ton, which was carried by unanimous
vote. The proposed general average re-
duction of % per cent was then called up,
whereupon Commissioner Clark declared
that he would not vote for it. 1--WE can't
legally do anything OF the Sort" he said.
I'VE must have an entire new schedule
prepared before we can vote upon it.'
Chairman LaRue also said that he had
some objections TO the resolu ution, as he
preferred one little more flexible than
one which simply ordered in so many
words that one-fourth OF the railroads
earnings must be cut off.
Finally the commission adjourned to l
p. NJ. to- morrow.