Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-12
MUST PUBLISH THEIR RATES.
The Law to BE Enforced as to Cana
dian Lines.


Few persons realize that many merchants
and large shippers are able TO sell goods at
great aggregate profit for prices which are
even less than cost of the articles to COM
petitors who purchase cheaply, buy as
largely and pay promptly as they do.
and not all of, those who are so informed
understand that such merchants and ship
pers derive their profits from cuts in trans
p0rtation charges specially made for them
The most successful producers and business
houses today are those employing agents
who keep thoroughly informed as to which
lines Will carry special shipments at great
est reductions from tariff rates. Safe car
rage and quick delivery secondary
considerations to these favored concerns
for their damage claims are quickly set
tied by the carriers. in the fear of losing
future consignments. and the present prac-
tees of buying in great quantities. con-
tracing for shipments weeks and months
in advance. and obtaining free storage by
carriers at concentrating points, make
speedy transportation less desirable or of
no account at all
Under present railway methods and the
eHas"uIated condition of the interstate
commerce law. the man who is content to
pay published freight rates is simply fiirt-
ing with failure, if not actually inviting
business ruin. On the other hand 1t is not
enough for him to secure some rate con-
cessions- rte must obtain the greatest rate
advantage his competitors are getting and
ne does Know that a railway traffic Off
cIal. If he cuts rates at all, may, and often
does. cut them TO almost nothing. The
only elective remedy is to make the law
actually prohibit and regulate and to fully
empower The commission and courts 70 en-
force il.
But although most powers of the regu-
4ailHS body have been construed away in
various cases. IL does not follow that the
commission Is not exercising all its limited
functions, with view of enforcing the act
as may be practicable. Following this
po4lcy. IL Is believed that Il feature of the
law which. in view of the long-drawn-out
legal controversies over the meaning of the
act and the powers of the commission has
been noticed but little will now be rigidly
enforced. This is the requirement i'm the
sixth section that every carrier subject ia
the act receiving freight in the United
States 10 be carried through foreign coun-
Try 10 any place in the United States shall
al every depot where the freight is resolved
publish schedules showing the through
rates 10 all points in the United States be-
Eoni the foreign country 10 which 1t ac.
ctptS freight for shipment. and if the
through rate shall not have been published
on any such freight. then the goods so car
REL shall. before being admitted into the
Hitei States from the foreign country. be
subject 10 customs duties. as If they were
OF foreign production, any law in conflict
with the section being thereby repealed
This apparently insignificant and easily
ob6yed part Of the law Is likely to give
some carriers and numerous favored ship
rers considerable trouble. There have been
many claims of rate cutting by through
lines which lie partly in Canada and carry
great quantities Of freight between points
In the United States. These charges have
been made, not only by shippers. but by the
American carriers. and with such force
that 1t was seriously proposed a few years
ago to greatly restrict or abolish the we'll
known privilege OF carrying goods in bond
or under seal through Canada to points in