The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-28
LIFE ARTERIES OF
THE REPUBLIC
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ssss sas.rAe > xses- +
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work In securing improvements In tn,
classifications Of freights and the pub
licfty of rates, and towards the accurac.
Of returns though the reliability OF tn,
returns made by the railroads. is, as yet
an unknown quantity. On some system,
they can doubtless be relied upon ant
on others not at all. Until a uniform
and reliable system Of returns can b,
compelled, we shall be- more or les.
cropping in the dark i'm oar, search fol
that elusive but much desired reason
able rate" which the law allows.
When there is no suppression Or min.
territorial misstatenent or the returns
there are sometimes such /, errors as
charging the rental of leased lines tc
operating expenses which is in effect
making the public pay the rental for
them-and sums spent for lobbying,
subs!dizing newspapers and such pur-
poses are always covered. up in lump
sum, usually under the head of terminal
expenses. The traveller and the ship
per has to pay for debauching his own
public servants.
1t is true that compared with foreign
countries, there has been decided re-
duction in freight rates, and if there
were no determinations, we might
think we had approached, In some Sec
lions of the country, fair rate. The
introduction of larger engines labor
saving devices and other economies,
however, enable the railroads to haul
very much cheaper than formerly. BY
the introduction of larger engines alone
the Union -Paeife- railroad saved 81 ,O4O,-
600 In 1SS4..oEer. the cost Of doing the
same volume Of work in 1890
EXORBITANT FREIGHT RATES.
That we have not yet reached a reas-
enable and fair freight rate is shown
not only by the frequent reductions to
favored parties, but by the large guam
titles of freight carried from our East
ern and, indeed, our Lake states, over
the Canadian Pacific railroad and thence
down to California points, instead of by
the natural and shorter routes through
our own states. Then while freight
rates IN the greater part of our North
ern and Western states are more reas-
enable than formerly, those south of the
Potomac and Ohio were adjudged excess
sive by the interstate commerce COM
mission in the case of the Freight
Bureau OF Cincinnati vs.. Cincinnati.
New Orleans and Texas Railroad" 1877
U. S. 479, which was begun by the
Freight Bureau of Chicago and Cincin-
natl for the purpose of reducing rates
from those two scitiesato~eightsimpo
cities in the Southern states. No trib-
unal has ever reversed this finding that
these rates were excessive The United
States supreme court merely held that
the Interstate commerce commission
had no power to reduce rates-the more
Is the pity-but it held that congress
could confer that power upon the COM
The statement of Mr.. Camp
bell, general freight agent, proven re-
Gently before the Industrial commission.
was to the effect that freight rates in
the Southern states are exorbitant. In
deed, it is matter of common knowl-
edge, and can be shown at any time bv
comparison of freight charges on the
south side of the Ohio with those on the
north.
CRIPPLlNG THE SOUTH.
In fact, the embargo laid on the de-
1elopment of the Southern states by the
charges for transportation
s the chief factor in retarding it's
growth. If the members of congress
rom those states would unite in support |
II bill comforting upon the interstate !
commerce commission the right to re-
luce rates whenever, in the opinion of |
hat able and conservative commission.
ates are excessive, they would do more
or the progress and prosperity of that
section than can be done by
my other single measure in the ordi-
lary range of legislation. In some Sec
ions of the South the charges are so
high, especially in the trucking busi-
less, that the real owners of the soil
re the London and New York bankers
Vho own the principal railway systems
Il the South. Their TRANSFORMATION
harges take all the profits, leaving the
ominal owners of the soil a.mere pit
ance. Their situation is exactly like
hat of the people. Of. ireland, a fine
ountry which is in the same manner
by the bailiffs carrying
II the profits of agricuitura to be spent
y nonresident landlords in London.
thence it never returns. The railroad
ystem OF the South is duplicate of
hat which impoverishes Ireland, there
y the actual ownership Of the soil. with
S by the ownership of the railroad
ystems whose ex0rbitant charges Gas
djudged by the interstate commerce
is In the practical percep-