The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-01-23
Railroads Levy Tribute.
Unreasonable Increase IN
Rates During Past Year.

| WssninGtoo, JaO. ~ The start.
ling increases made BY the railways
during the past year iu the rates for
transportation are shown by 40 10.
spection OF statis.ics 10 the posses o
Of the Interstate Com merce Commis-
sion. which chow that of 824 chang es
10 classification made by carriers us.
ing The cficial eastern scale, 818 pro.
ducea raises sud only 6 reductions. 10
over half, the increase was over 40 per
cent aud 10 less than ooe twenty fifth i.
was IS little ss Is per cent. 10 six
cases the rates were doubled, whiIc the
svdrsge increase was over one third
Ohsoges 10 the southern classification
show 531 advances and oaIy los re-.
ductioDs; those 10 the western show
24O increases and only II reductions.
BY these changes 10 classification.
therefore, rstes upon a considerable
part Of freight traffic 10 sll portions of
tho United States, many of them apply
iog on the most common articles of
merchandise. we're very materially
advanced 10 addition many CON.
modify rates have been Withdrawn,
thus making the articles affected tske
higher olsss rates.
These changes were admittedly made,
rot because Of any inequality 10 the
olsssi6oations-nos because some ar,i.
clss we're found to be paying too low
rates and others too high rates com
paratisely-but simply because the
ra:lwsys had determined to increase
their revenues. and instructed the
classification committee for that purpose
There vas no claim of any uousual
need Of revenue Not for years bad
traffic been 50 heavy or gross receipts
60 large, but it Was insisted that the
cost Of operation had been enhsnoed
and net revenues would therefore be
decreased Comparisons have been
made for three large Eastern systems,
which sbow that the percentage Of
operating expenses to earoiogs was
less 10 tho year ending Juue 30, 1900.
than for the corresponding year 1899.
or for the average from 1890 to 1898
Another com parison of these statements
shows greater net esrniugs per mile for
1900 ,hao for 1899, or for the average
from 1890 to 1898 It caupot be said
what eject these advances 10 rate, which
prevailed during the lsss half Of the
year 1900. may have had upoo the re-.
sult for the entire year; but when it is
eonsidsred that gross receipts. and
therefore net revenues. enormously 10.
dressed during that year. it is evident
that there 10 little 10 the olsim that 10 I.
creased cost Of operation justified these
advances 10 rate.
Pooling is prohibited by act Of
congress aud auy combination to raise
rates is distinctly forbidden by the
Shermso suti trust sot. yet here is
case where 10 every part Of the country
carriers have BY concerted actioo.
without any notice to shippers, aud
indeed against the vehement protest Of
shippers, advanced their rates upon .
largo portion Of the merchandise
carried uuder class ra,ss BY 40 average
of oue fourth to ooe third. The attorney
general of the United States. mean
while. sta supine 10 bis Office and takes
no steps TO curb tho illegal extcrtion
and eoubiuation OF the roads. =
Ifthis sort Of thing can be doOe With
respect to one portion Of railway traffic.
it oap. it Is argued. be done With respeot
to ell Of IL; II rates oan be advanced 25
per ceot they can be still further
advanced, l. osn no longer be said
that general advance 10 freight rsses
is altogether fancy. for it hos besome
40 accomplished fact. Neither Gao it
be said that the public osu escape such
40 advance. however. unjust. Huo.
drsds Of persoos have demanded relief
from wba, bas actually boen dooe. 10
some Instances where the shipper was
strong enough or the organisation to
which he belonged was powerful
enough. relic: has beeo Voluntarily
granted BY the railways, bat the
| general public aud the small shipper
hsvs been compelled to make the best
| OF it
While . uniform clsssi 6catiou is an
absolute necessity, it is nevertheless
thought TO be outrageous that . oiassi
6oasion CON mittee or . rsilwsy mana
ger should DO able by the stroke Of .
peo. without consultation With the
| public, without even nforming the
, public. arbitrarily to change the rates as
which freight ebsll be haudled Car.
riers. it is admitted. should have the
right to agree upon . uniform "lss.id.
cation. but when bandreds Of shippers
complain that . public servant hes per.
petrs'ed . wrong upoo the public 10
tho discharge Of . public duty. there
| shonld IL IL ns;d hn oomo onhlio srihn