The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-16
TRAFFIC LAW IMPOlEN1
The Annual Report ofthe Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The Act TO Regulate the TRrin. of
Common Carriers Has Proved In
ndeaunte-Defccts I'm the statute
Railroads Cnn Charge What
The, Observation-Disclosures Desired.

The thirteenth annual report of the Ii
terstate Commerce Commission was issue
yesterday In its last annual report tn
commission stated that attention had be
called in previous reports to the vital re
spects in which the act to regulate com
merce has proved defective and inadequate
that the present law cannot be properly en-
forced, and that until further legislation
provided the best efforts at regulation mus
be feeble ana Disappointing
The present report states that: The re
quests of the commission for needfu
amendments have been supported by peji
tions and memorials from agricultural
manufacturing. and commercial interest
throughout the country; set not a line o
the statute has been changed and none O
The burdensome conditions which call 70
relief has been removed or modified. Tn
reasons for the failure of the law-+o accom-
plish the purposes for which it was enactc
have been SO frequently aud fully SET forti
that repetition cannot add to their force o
make them better understood Il is suf
ficient TO say that the existing situation
der more imperative than ever before Tho
necessity foi speedy and suitable legisla-
tion We therefore renew the re commenda-
lions heretofore made and earnestly urge
their early consideration and adoption.
Many persons do not understand the pre-
else mature Of the amendments required for
enforcing the substantive provisions of the
act. while others have apparently reached
the belief that no scheme Of regulation
lion can be made effective. Nevertheless
il is perhaps safe TO say that nine-tenths
OF the people do know that any railroad
company can charge for its service what
ever il pleases and as much as IL pieases.
without any real power in this commiss on,
or any either tribunal or court. to limit the
amount OF such charge for the future when
complaint is made by an aggrieved ship
per. and that they are substantially OF one
mind in desiring that this and other defects
in the statute be promptly remedied. Ii is
also true that shippers generally have been
practically unanimous in favor Of a single
classification of freights. one that will be
uniform for all roads and all sections of the
country. and reasonably stable when estab-
lished
The Cullom Bill.
The general public dissatisfaction with
the present statute has frequently been
expressed in resolutions adopted by va
rious national organizations composed Of
business men, manufacturers. and farmers,
and by the National Convention of Rail
road Commissioners. At conference held
in Chicago in November last. and at
tended by representatives from d number
OF national associations Of manufacturers.
merchants millers. and other branches
of a hrn he i'm
portant amendments which have been
recommended by this commission was.
after discussion of each feature, formally
approved as the measure which would
best meet the requirements OF businss
and commercial interests. This bill has
been introduced in the Senate by Senator
Cuilom. known as Senate bill No. 1889
Such a movement on the part OF as
sociated producing and shipping interests,
representing. Ii is said. an amount OF in
vested capital exceeding the aggregate
capitalization of all the railways, is in
itself clear indication of the popular
demand The query suggests itself
whether continued failure to perfect the
regulating statute on reasonable lines will
not soon result in an irresistible demand
for the most radical and drastic legisla-
tion.
1t is q matter OF common knowledge
that vast schemes OF railway control are
now in process OF contamination, and that
the competition Of rival lines is TO be re-
strained by these combinations. While
this movement has not yet found full ex-
preston in the actual consolidation OF
railroad corporations, enough has trans
pired to disclose a uniication OF financial
interests which will dominate the manage
ment and harmonic the operations of
lines heretofore independent and COM
petitiye. This is today the most notice
able and important feature of the railway
situation. II the plans already fore
Swallowed are brought TO effective results,
and others of similar scope are carried |
to execution. there will be vast centrali-
zation OF railroad properties. with all the |
power involved in such far-reaching COM
binations. yet uncontrolled by any public
authority which can be efficiently exert
ed. The restraints of competition upon |
excessive and unjust rates will in this
way be avoided. and whatever evils may
result will be remediiess under existing
laws.
Increase io Railroad business.
Among the noteworthy facts of gen
eral interest is the remarkable increase
during the year in the volume OF railroad /.
business. This increase has been SO great I
and to an extent so unexpected that many |
carriers were not prepared for the I'M
usual demands upon their facilities. As 4
a rule their equipment has been taxed to
full capacity and often found Inadequate
for the service required. This. Of course,
has brought substantial addition 20 the 1
gross and net revenues OF nearly every
road in the country. and greatly reduced (
the number OF railway failures. 1t has (
also contributed to the improved observ- /
ance OF published rates, as is stated in /
another connection and diminished the !
frequency of those practices which are I
made criminal misdemeanors by the (
statute.
"Coincident with these schemes OF uni I
fed control. and while this exceptional /
Of traffic continues, the carriers
operating throughout an extensive and i'm
portant territory have recently made sub
stantial, and in many cases very large,
Increases in their scale OF charges. These
advances in rates have been mainly effected
by concerted and agreed changes in the
classification OF FREIGHT articles by roads
both connecting and competing which use
he same classification and make the same
part OF the tariffs filed by them under
Inc Law. Numerous articles have been
aiken from the class In which they were
formerly placed and put in a higher class.
TO which higher rate is applied: and
many articles heretofore on the commodity
list have been included in the classified
traffic. with the result of materially m
,reasiDg the charges imposed thereon.
Advances of rates in this manner have
been made on hundreds OF articles. many
VI which are necessaries in general use,
nd constantly moving from place TO place
n the process of distribution.
ut is not intended to intimate that these
dvanced rates are unlawful, and no opin-
on is expressed as TO their actual or rela-
i've reasonableness. But the fact that such
Extensive increases in railroad charges
ave been brought about by the method