New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-14
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
NHC COMMISSIONERS COMPLAIN OF THE
LAWS INEFFICIENCY.
. TWELFTH ANNUAL REPoRT-PHocREss
IN SAFETY EQUIPMENT

IN SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
The Interstate Commerce Commission has made
SIS twelfth annual report. II says. In part
To state that the law in It's present condition cannot
e es,e sn0 uS tSriSer sHS important legislation is
enacted me best efforts a. reSTst ,ns g,, S
Sas become niolershe beth FROM tss s,anGpe sIs
earded determinations constantly occur the price
r whsh d osd Managers are ais
srustful OF each other and shippers az The While
N doubt as 10 the rates sscereo oy as TO fire.
quenty exceed the capacity OF equipment YET me
nous sums ms are spsn, n purchasing business
secret rates aceoreed Tar below tie standard Of
from Ssss ,sdasSRs FOR SS.ssSsi on t f5s
manly conrneo 10 ann Of large capital and
tends the injury ano often to the ruin Of smaller
o the su sGa welfare the cun
Forests OF public morality.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC ORGANIZATIONS.
The urgent demand MADE by the carriers Tor
Legislative relief following the decision OF the su-
preme Court in the Trans Missouri and S Joint
Ts 5ss z a0se SnG nature r n
functions Of railway traffic orgsnizauons and TIE
na pu Tpo OF franc IS restraint
competition between rival lines and their on}eet
the association for The VII Of The inSivSuaf men
r This n1Sfs were ~ Seldom On ened
able TO secure pueAcation Of rs tariffs ont IN.
&
should be carefully noted in considering the legis-
lson sought by he Iney ARE ops
WsA r0 are eea s snd at
want OF legal sanction was always the inhereIn,
erpiion from the Anti: Trust Law. or repeal Of the
merce and the real question now. whether the
esse 5sx shall BE sTsRsd right Of which
on the other hand agreements between SaTrleG IF
'rates and 10 the proper adjustment Of reasonable
land rates Mereote i,.. wn Ta
qiires that they shall be observed until changes are
no to 10 @ uns for
confer for the purpose OF doing what the law
y While Determinations ard preferences haze been
ostensioy removed or 0mn'Thso roaSs claim That
ths situation cannot be change nes tnny Se
competition which provokes these violations OF law
THE MAINTENANCE OF RATES.
4; The Commission does not intimate that the above
causes Justify the alleged results, nor does II con-
slider for moment that It Is impossible for car,
siesr thai observance Of ts5if rates Is entirely
within The power Of the railway 81 aR 5e
5sns wssa W It %oud be ain
s ne a While Gfe Ks SnSaf Tr
end III 10 also TO pc admitted that luSutheu or no.,
yisrs. large part Of the railway business Is now
upon egS ra a9o is the exceSon
~fhe results are gross discriminate hetwcen in
which most always favor the strong and S Sppress
much to force out the small operator and 5ud up
shose trusts and monopolies against which law ano
IA freiski i rates further result is that railroad
business Is carried on largely IN CONCEDED r
Of law This condition the present law is po"efless
III Unrestricted competition produces dlscrimna'
non one obvious way prevent such discrimn ina
io 10 restrict competi5op Whfth1I 1sismns
contracts would depend upon ;he extent 70 Wnleh
the agreements were made and actually enforced
It does not necessarily follow that permission
nations he evils attendant upon restricted com;
ifom Il ' The rate shSut be reasonable well a.
stable and uniform and hitherto competition has
s sss1 a1ey TslS' be sPaa sSE A9
psc Ths conclusion Of ta ssEe om 5s ,be de ~
gree Of control over rates whjch sheuG De ehe5
ssa sn IN n" is las, @nnusi Tbs amend.
sats there recommended would not invest sn I,e
.S@ry han Vas g" long supposed they
suS gy spS e.. a. sea4sd % t9 fa Gs
sections II the present Commission Is not quaneo
SoS asfI ssoa be created 'ASn more
eG psFmasa be SoSns
shoue se 59rns n nG bs VOLTA i4 pse f 10
doom the experiment. 70 failure before i was tried
ss ht s be wf to P oas t6ht s c
ng@Ssy q yefs r eS. 2y done ndsr
should open TO ru1lic inspection; thifa II w olio
pro ,s ss 20 A M p2S f 6ad some voice Or
unas q any re sas aP S N
sa who w %aad fe s,q re 70 hpp
s snt e. g,h Tween to thS s
vsys and the nubl,' and thus prove materially
=. beneficial in 2 hion degree.
.,.,- SAFETY APPLIANCES
As stated in the last annual report the Commits
sion granted numerous competitive carriers an eS
tension OF TWO years from January J, 1855, TitAlp
which 10 comply with the requirements Of sections
: end Of the Safety Appliance act, and required
M e2panes whose .supfhnt was tbH nG 6Togrss
J Jun l. les: Returns received from s q me e..
carriers which wfye granted an s%tersion o. oY
1i over the number reported on Peeember lssl
sonipp.d 9 VIII au.o Sr eoSpef ard s
fitted with train hre kes naking toai 81 '''-e,
I: ste5S Or a per cent equ,pped with train brake.
Jun. ssa rs sha date S S or . per sy
y these reporiing carriers we're equipped Win oFP'
ire returns nc SIX months ending p t tsT
Srons S bisy Of f provision II putoac coupers
.,nd the required number OF trsin brakes on jam
Ihou;ands Of cas- hay sn ePss asSe d NOT
TO be in confos nifty with The law p respect 70 draw,
bars and handholds. WIN Iesaro 70 q sussf ;
hat the fr soS S ~ g inches the COM
mission says tat the STANDARD height o. sh ineaes
. lion under authority exp cssy conferred by me
q gafsty Appliance act ana having been 20 nNeds
IN conforruity with the act II can only be chsc<eo
- by the action Of ConSrsss ,..
ne 81 ne aw n Saf f h
= C34 fewer employees killed and 4o62 Eewer Injured
during the year encis6 JUNG 90 lssI than ourlnE
The year ending juno 90 1855 In the Spanish
= American War IS men were killed and l,g5 were
wounded In 1891 there wee lSg3 men killed ana
NCs7 Injured from III causes IN railway service
IN cou ping and uncouplnc cars alone rs less men
we're Killed ana 49si less injured ls97 than
H. Ar asr The number q such employees killed has
been reduced one-half, and the number OF injured
= 49, ractic allY raducel one hall Ihe re4uction