Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-13
NOT TO BE- BORNE.
Situation in Railway Circles Has Be-
come Intolerable.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW'SDEPECqS
Increased Number of Safety Ap-
planes in Use.
DECREASE IN CASUALTIES

| The defects of the interstate commerce
| law and the lack of power to enforce it
| were described in the twelfth annual re-
| port of the interstate commerce commits
sion, made public today:
In previous reports to Congress, especial
| ly those of more recent date attention has
been called to the vital respects in which
| the act has proved defective and Inadequate
Some of its provisions were early seen to
| be imperfect, while others were so uncer-
tain or ambiguous as to give rise to pro-
| tracted litigation, resulting finally in au-
thoritative construction by the Supreme
| Court Of the United States. The commits
sion has taken much pains to explain the
various questions that have thus been de-
cided and the effect of these adjudications
| in defeating the purposes of the act To
state that the law in its present condition
can not be enforced Is only to repeat what
has already been said. Until further and
important legislation is enacted the best eff
forts at regulation must be feeble and dis
appointing.
This subject was fully discussed In our
last annual report, and We are unable to
| add anything to the presentation then
made. In that and previous reports we
nave not only set forth in general terms
the necessity for amending the law, but
have formulated and proposed the specific
amendments which appear to us positively
essential. With the renewal of these rec
concentrations, no duty of the commission
| IN this regard remains undischarged.
IntOIerabIe Situation.
Meanwhile the situation has become in
tolerable both from the standpoint of the
public and the carriers. Tariffs are disre-
garded, determinations constantly occur
the price at which transportation can be
obtained is fiuctuating and uncertain. Rail-
road managers dist f,,1 of
ana shippers all the while in doubt as to
the rates secured by their competitors. The
volume of traffic is SO unusual as to fire.
Quently exceed the capacity of equipment
Yet the contest for tonnage never seems re-
faxed Enormous sums are spent in pur-
CHASING business and secret rates accorded
far below the standard of published
charges. The general public gets little ben
eht from these reductions, for concessions
are mainly confined to the heavier shippers
All TINS augments the advantages of large
capital and tends to the injury and often
TO the ruin of smaller dealers These are
not only matters of gravest consequence
to the business welfare of the country but
they concern in no less degree the higher
interests of public morality The conditions
now widely prevailing can not be better IL
Illustrated than by reference to investigations
made by the commission during the year
Proceedings Before the COmmission
Twenty seven cases.ihave been formally
instituted before the temmission since the
last report to Congress. These proceed
ings directly involve the rates and prac-
tees of 249 carriers. "A brief statement of
the complaints is Contained in the report
Hearings and investiga tf@hs of alleged
violations of the act to regulate commerce
and of applications for relief under that
statute and the safety appliance act have
been had in this city and also in Cleveland
ohio Boston, Mass; St. Paul Mimi; Chi
caso. H.; Portland Greg. and Savannah
Naldosta, Dawson and Hawkinsville Ga
The matters involved in the formal pro-
ceedi9gs so heard and Investigated are
stated in the report "T-H .a.- Z
The report describes fifteen cases Row
pending in United States courts 20 enforce
orders of the commission
Railway Earnings.
From the preliminary report on the in
come account ot railways in the United
States for the fiscal year ending June 30
1913, prepared by the statistician to the
commission, 1t appears that the gross earn
ings Of operating railways, he returns of
which were received prior 10 December l.
representing 1Sl 50 mites of line. or 81
per cent of the operated mileage in the
United States, were 81, 23S. 523, $50 The
operating expenses We're SSH 241 45S leav-
ing net earnings S427, PSI 922 Income from
sources other than operation amounting to
so95oS, l94 was received by these railways
Increase Ia Safety Appliances
AS stated in the last annual report, the
commission granted numerous competitive
carriers an extension of two years from
January 1, 1898. within which to comply
with the requirements Of sections / and =
Of the safety appliance act, and required
the companies whose equipment was in
complete to make semi-annual reports
showing the progress thereafter made. On
May - the carriers were notified to file
such report for the six months ending
June !, 1898. Returns received from 2S:i
OF the 23i carriers which Were granted an
extension of time show l. 1566l6 freight
cars owned, an increase of 20,611 over the
number reported on December l, 1897 Dur
ing the six months 119.93S freight cars were
equipped with automatic couplers and 81 400
were fitted with train brakes, making a
total of 19o,2o3, or 50 per cent. having
tomato couplers, and 81 $685. or ~ per cent
equipped with train brakes, up to June l.
1898. On that date 29,1I5 or 80 per cent
OF the total number of locomotives owned
by these reporting carriers were equipped
with driving-wheel brakes.
Casualties Decrease.
Since the enactment of the law in 1893
there has been decreasing number of
casualties. There We're 1894 fewer en-
ployes killed and 1902 fewer injured during
the year ending June 80, 1897, than during
the year ending June 80, 1888 In the Span
ish-American war 29S men We're killed and
1.645 Were wounded. In 1897 there We're
1,G93 men killed and q 1861 injured from all
causes in railway service. In coupling and
uncoupling cars alone 219 less men We're
killed and 1894 less We're injured in 1897
than In 1888. The number of such en-
pioyes killed has been reduced one-half,
and the number OF injured also practically
reduced one-half The reduction in the
number of accidents from all causes large
~ exceeded In single year the entire c3su-
aities during the late war.
Inc report also contains summary of
the more important proceedings of the
tenth annual convention of railroad COM
1898 VI y =