New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-22
WILL MAINTAIN RATES
BALTIMORE AND OHIO RECEIVERS AP-
PEAL TO THE INTERSTATE
COMMISSION.

THEY WILL HOLD TO THE PUBLISHED scHhp'
,1r AND ASK THAT THE COMMISSION
LOOK AFTER OFFENDING ROADS
washington. Dec 2l-ChaIrman Knapp or inc
1r,ors,ate Commerce commission has received I"
,e,ter from Receivers Cowan and MURRAY! VI -"
baltimore and Ohio Railroad. an"ou.''"e ~
after January J. 1892 that railroad WI" '"'''o'' =
ecrunuously the published tariff ana rates M"
,., ,h com rn,ss,on and will appeal to the COM
n,ssion for aid in cases coming To ther a''en'io"
NJ railroads falling TO maintain rates TO the "e''
ment of their interests. This step Is a" ''',o
ono which will interest largely all other RAILROADS
What the attitude Of other roads VIII w i VI"
known here The letter in full follows
baltimore. Md. December q. lsos
,ro, Martin A. Knapp Chairman Interstate COM
merce Commission Westminster, ~, 81 tho Ohio
r2cr r and east Of The mississippi the railroad "a,
carriers transporting the Larger par. shown on
he published tariffs filed with your commSs IS,
which by statute the only aWiui ,, no minus,
discrlmina ions and the unjust preferences anu 40.
vanages between persons Ioca'les anu u whIc% is
The main object of the act Of congress eS'aunstIrs
your COMMISSION only by lnsu,,s she 81" inst eo,,aI
inv OF service and Of charge required ny law nc
sccurod either between persons or between local.
Heretofore the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
many and its competitors within the territory above
mentioned have maintained joint agencies or asso.
Citations under various agreements intended 10 act
rs a restraint upon eacn carrier ana 10 prevent
The secret cutting OF rates on competitive franc
Ii has been the practice for each carrier to report
10 the joint agency or association any departure
from published rates by competing carrier, TO the
end that the facts might be fully ascertained and
tho unfair competition stopped.
Tho supreme Court OF the United States has now
finally determined that the so-caed Anu rust Ac'
applies to railroad carriers ana IN Zeal enec. pro-
hib;s any agreement between them whch iestrains
competition in any desfse s , he
OF the restraints imposed by the act To regulat e
commerce II is therefore no longer lawful for the
carriers TO create by agreements between them
Joint agencies associations. as Formerly, 10 pre-
on some IMPARTIAL body to Investigate the com
plants Of one competing carrier aeaihs, announcer
il viii be practically Impossible for the railroad
carrier alone To prevent that form OF competition
between them, however earnest the great majority
OF the carriers may be TO stop L. ,, -. -.
The Interstate CONNIE: ce commission NOT only
commands the respect OF the railroad carriers f,r
us ~ meal ratc-cuting and 10 put
ston TO ali illegal practices far surpaSses any asso-
caiion which the carriers have ever created by
whv the Commission should refuse its aid to the
carriers in effort 20 prevent competition from
cret rates drawbacks. rebates and other devices.
ana we sec no reason why the carriers should not
seek the aid of the Commission in such an effort
bv reporting to the Commission any departure from
published rates. the end that the facts may be
The receivers Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company will maintain IN ana after January ar, 90
fares and charges shown on the tarlns punlsrsd
and filed with the Commission. as required ny law;
We believe that all. nearly ALL of the raiiroad
carriers within the territory above mcntioned WI.
likewise maintain their published tariff rates from
tina, date. To prevent relapse. however. 10 me
conditions now existing II Is necessary that no I'M
portant carrier shall long depart from the pub
iishod tariff OF rates Should such departure o.
cur to the detrment OF the Interests IN our
charge we shall invoke the aid Of the Commission
TO stop H. We hope and believe that many other
carriers will do the same. In the anticipation that
the other railroad carriers formerly associated with
The baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company IN trafnc
associations will adopt the course decided on by US
and above outlined have taken the liberty or
transmitting each such carrier a copy OF lhls
lot,er With great respect are. yours very
truly. JonN ~, c,v,VHDSp,,v