The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-24

In 1898 tho Unitod states Senate ro-
fcrred tho subject 20 tho Interstate Conn
merce Commission for reconsideration,
wherapon the latter askcd commercial
bodies and Others as "a the adyiSability OF
amending the Interstate act SO AS 60 loyal
ize pooling contracts which would tcnd
20 diminish unlawful DETERMINATIONS -
Eighty nine (S9) answers favorcd that
proposition on the entire repeal OF the ln-
terstate ACT.
la June 1894, n conference of CONNER
cial interests in Washington roprosentiEg
twenty-thrce states and eighty seven trade
bodies unanimously recommended the
passage OF the Patterson bill. which has
now been modified 70 moro favor the pub
lie In the Foraker bill
After seven years OF experience under
the Interstate act pooling was also I'M
dorsed--in Washington, Docomhor, lS94--
by all the state railway commissions,
except Minnesota at which time IL Was
resolved:
THAT competing carriers may safely be
permitted Go make lawful contracts with
each other for the apportionment OF their
conditions and restri ,tions are imposed
which protect thc ruhlic from excessive
and unreasonable charges.
State Railroad Com nissionera
The most rccout authoritative express
sion upon this subjcc5 was iaat O, tho
National Convention OF Railroad Cons
missioners field In Washington in Hay.
1896 when Hon. D. H. Reagan, OF Texas,
chairman, reported as follows. after Sug-
costing that "the Interstate Commerce
Commisslon" be empowered 10 make,
regulate and maintain rates on interstate
shipments OF lreight.
II have believed and do boiiCVe, that
the pooling Of troights and division OF
earnings could be authorized by Law ana
SO regulated as g. prevent, 20 largo eN-
tent # not entirely railroad wars and nn
just Determinations in freight rates, with
advantage both 10 tho railroads aud 10
shippers
A separate report by MIR. Lape, OF the
Illinois hallway Commission, said of pool
ing: IL wo.ld be gpSat
benefit Co the entire public, as well as the
railroads In the same report he said
further:
Il therefore give it as my opinion that
"A law should be passed legaiizing the
pooling OF freight earnings hy railroad
companies, under the inspection and ap-
proyal of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. Because 10 would protect the
weaker lines, protect railroad property a. a
whole, protect the smaller shipper as
against unfair advantages possessed by
the larger shipper, and would secure hrst
class railroads and railroad service for
both freight and passengers, and, In addl-
ton Co all these advantages, the working
classes would unquestionably DO benefited
To a great extent
No objection was offered to these re-
ports.
The committee on government owner
ship. control and regulation OF railway )
reported TO the same convention without
dissent: "Congress must legalize pooling
in order 80 make 10 an etsctual remedy
for rate wars
1he National Board of Trade twice rec
commended such legislation. All these
judgments received the approval OF the
House OF Represen tatiyes in the tlfty-
third Congress by "A majority of tifty-six
and the senate committee on commerce
reported the bill tayorably at the same
session.
Experiences Abroad.
As 10 experiences abroad. Mr.. Acworth,
of London, said in the New York 1nde-
pendent October, 1922;
Certain IL is that rate cutting has
been practically put to an end To by an
understanding between the companies
which, like international law, has nc
sanction behind it except the agreement
of the bigh contraC,s-ug parties. -.
-. Over "a considerable part OF Eng
land the traffic Is pooled. -.
Some OF these pools are SUBJECT &c
revision every 10 years, Others, l believe,
to DC agreements In perpetuity, but III
this latter case they are perhaps more
OF the nature of partitions of territory
than traffic pools. lie also said In the
same article:
10 pools, properly so called, there
does not seem TO be any popular obJec'
tion indeed, within the last year the TWO
great scotch companies the North British
and the Caledonian. have AGREED TO 20
years pool of their traffic, and though
there was a good deal of opposition In
Glasgow when iJ was first announced,
within the last few weeks the Glasgow
traders have confessed that they were
mistaken and that none of the ills which
they anticipated has arisen. 80. But
the fact is, the public see what looks like
competition going on all around them.
As traders, they see the canyassors OF
the different companies coming TO them,
hat in hand, and begging for traffic,
promising "a later departure, more careful
handling and more prompt dellvery-lt
may be, more generous settlement OF
CLAIMS As passengers they see the com
panies yieing with one another In Inn
proyements, in accommodation, in fire.
quency of service or Increased speed. as
we'll AS in a score Of details which make
up the comforts of passenger travel Ac
cordingly, when the theorist comes along
with his assurance that competition is
extinct and that pools have done tho mis-
ders and take not much notice.
One feature of American railway rates
is too often forgotten. lt would appear
that they are usually made arbitrarily anC
are excessive, whereas Ii is believed that
aside from the reduced tariffs due tC
natural competitive forces, and the changes
wrought in local rates by the long and
short haul clause of the Interstate act .,
per cent OF all other rates have oeen re
duced TO their present low bases by confer
ence discussion, trial, change and ulti
mate agreement between the large produc
tion and consuming interests OF the coun
try, and the railways so that the inter
state rates now published and filed sub
stantially meet all the requirements o
powerful competition and of the law aAC
have the public approval. At all events,
no appreciable percentage OF the rates are
complained OF on that score. secret anC
preferential reductions from such rates
should therefore the more promptly cease,
vet while asking means TO that end from
the National Legislature there should also
be "a closer supery ision OF railway manage
ment by railway hnanciers, owners ant