The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-14
An AssnnIt Tnnn Rnfes.

A petition from certain interested per-
sons has been forwarded to the Georgia
railroad commission praying that that
body order a general reduction of 80 1-3 per
cent. in the tariff rates on freight estao-
lished by the commission. It is understood
the petition processes to show that the
railroads of the state could. upon rates
reduced by such percentage, continue to
operate their various properties with
profit.
1t cannot be doubted that the petition is
written from selfish point of view. The
petitioners hope to gain personal advan-
tage from the reduction asked for. They
do not seem to care what the result of
the granting of their petition would be
to the railroads, their stockholders, their
employees, or others. 1t Is pretty GER
tain that the roads are now working upon
the narrowest kind of margin. Indeed, it
may be asserted that some of them find
it a pretty hard matter to make both
ends meet" under the railroad commits
sion's tariff rates. Nevertheless, the Geor-
gia railroads are constantly found trying
to comply with the terms of the law in
slashes the rates, as it did in the ferti-
lizer case, the railroads protest, but they
comply with the law. The rates fixed by
the commission govern. In some cases,
indeed, certain rates are lower than those
fixed by the commission. In a circular
issued by the Georgia and Alabama, it
is asserted that in a large number of
cases the current rates upon local traffic
are less than those of the railroad COM
missions tariff" But in nc. case are they
higher than the commissions tariff
There are in the files of the traffic de-
partment of this railway" says the cir
cular referred to, mo complaints from
any merchant or representative of any
industry on its lines as to want of equity
in its local freight rates"
The railroad commission was not in
stituted for the purpose of sending the
roads into bankruptcy. Its purpose is to
see that there is fairness and justice be-
tween the roads and their patrons The
roads are entitled to fair recompense for
services rendered, railroad investors to
reasonable interest on their money, and
railroad employees to an adequate return
for their labor. 1t is practically certain
that a horizontal reduction of freight
rates would react upon the employees of
the railroads. 1t would be absolutely
necessary for the companies to reduce ex-
penses, and the workingmen would have
to bear a part of the reduction. Hence, a
reduction of the kind suggested by the
petition to the railroad commission, or
anything like it, or any reduction, might
be expected to mean lower pay for every
railroad employe in the state. Every
mechanic and every clerk in the state
would be affected. AS the railroads cut
wages, other cuts follow elsewhere. To
reduce the purchasing power Of the work
ingmen would necessitate a reduction of
the working force of the stores. When the
railroads and their employees are prosper
Gus, the whole state is benefited, and vice
versa.
There has been no demand for a slash
ing or rates, except upon the part of the
few selfish persons referred to. The bust
ness community deprecates the slashing
of rates. What is wanted is not a con-
slant changing of rates, but rates that are
Charges that are reasonable to both the
shipper and the carrier are desired, not
charges that are so unjust and dispropor-
tionate to the service rendered that the
carrier cannot pay living wages to en-
ployes.