The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-13
THE NEWS AND OBSERVER, JULY 10, 1897.

stantial '.cut," for comparing the Rail-
road Commission report of 1892 with that
of 1891. it appears that while gross earn
| ings had increased $4,000 the net earn
| ings had increased $3.50 ,000-a greater
lprofit than before If the public demand
as evidenced by the establishment OF
your Commission could have been com
piled with there would have been sub
stantial cut in 1891. For n stronger rea-
son there should be a greater one now.
Since the repeal of the purchasing clause
of the Sherman act the value OF the
money in which we pay our fre1ghts ana
fares has gone on increasing, but railroad
charges have remained the same. Cot
ton. which for the six years ending 1871,
| had averaged IL cents, in the six years
since has averag ed barely q a fall of
over 33 1-3 per cent. The railroad rates
ought in fairness to be 33 per cent less
than the figure to which they ought to
have been cut in 1891. We know that
| the great raj roads contributed great
sums in the last campaign to maintain
the gold standard. We are now paying
these sums back by high rates and thus
paying them to increase the load resting
upon us. A commission established by
mittcd to have that mercy upon us
which we cannot expect from the non
resident owners of these corporations
who know no more about us and care as
little, as the English landlords do for
their Irish tenants or their Hindoo sub
jects.
One of these great systems saw the
Justice Of the public demand and the wis
dom from business standpoint of rec
Iocnizing the enhanced value Of money
nv reducing rates. 1t made n very hand
some cut with great profit to themselves
land to the qualification of their patrons
Why those reduced rates We're stopped
and the public and the line deprived OF
an arrangement so highly satisfactory to
both and by what methods it was done
is known by your Commission already
3 There is still another demonstration
that rates are too high as to passenger
rates. The rate row, as in 1871, is still
l3L cents per mile, and it is higher than
that on some of our roads, yet the rail-
roads report the average received pei
messenger per mile 2 10 cents. Clearly
therefore there is avast number OF PEG,
lple who ride either ABSOLUTELY free or al
less than the general public pay
The Railroad Commission act con
templates that there shall be no discrimi-
nation. and could there be worse dis.
elimination than to pile up 3H cents on
the general public so that they shall pay
Ienough not only for their own riding, but
for reduced rates and free rates, to 9th
ers. There are occasionally excursions
land the immense crowds which go upon
l4I III
If a reasonable permanent rate of two
cents per mile were given all the time
it would save the public great incOn-
venience from Overcrowding and the
railroads the pressure for cars on these
semi-occasional fits of concession. There
would be a steady stream of travel which
would be equally, and probably more
remunerative to the railroads (as has
been the experience elsewhere) and 1t
would be far more satisfactory to the
people. who after all are the only sup
Iport of the railroads Then the system
of granting 1000 mile tickets at cents
or 2I5 cents to men who have $40 or S0U
to spare and exacting 3H cents from
those who need the reduction still more
lis only less Objectionable than free pass
les. | commend to your consideration the
following extract from the report of the
Railroad Commissioner of Michigan: ITO
sell 1000 mile tickets at a less rate per
mile than that for a less number OF
miles is gross discrimination between
passengers entitled to the same treat
ment 1t violates the principles of jus
tice the same as If 100 car loads of
freight could be carried at a less rate
per car than 10 car loads between the
same points" The doctrine of equal
rights to all and special privileges to
nome is especially applicable to the
rights of the public over a common car
rier. No man should be charged higher
for the same accommodation because he
is poorer.
/ do not advocate q 2-cent per mile
rate on all railroads, but wherever one
man travels at 2 cents another should
not be charged more for the same grade
of accommodation. The rates should be
graded as in many States. Those whose
gross receipts exceed $4,000 per mile
should charge not more than cents per
mile. Those whose gross receipts arc
over $4,000, but less than $4 1000, should
charge not over 21a cents per mile, and
all others not over ) cents. The same
or similar reduction and grading should
be made in freight rates, the object be
ing to allow Il fair, just per centage OF
net profits on the actual value of the
plant"
There are 10000 miles of railroad in
the United States. They have been
built with great difference in cost and
through sections differing vastly in the
amount of travel and freight. Ingenious
| tables could be made which by skill in
grouping, would make almost any given
rate the average. There are roads
charging less than one cent per mile,
and few charging as high as the high
est rate allowed in this State. The Ger
man government recently sent a commits
sion to this country to investigate our
system. With German patience and
plodding thoroughness as to detail, they
| reported that upon a fair average
cents per mile was the average Ameri-
can rate. Lloyd Brice, in an article writ
ten in the railroad interest in the North
American Review for March, also says
|