The Washington times., 1902-12-28
PROUTY SAYS RAILWAYS
PRACTICE ESTORTION
Interstate Commissioner Dis
cusses Freight Rates.
WALKER HINES TALKS BACK
Vice President of Louisville and Nash
vile Road Attacks Interstate
Commerce Commission.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 27.-At the ses-
sion OF the American Economic Associa-
tion today at Houston Hall. University
Of Pennsylvania. Charles A. Prouty. In
terstate Commerce Commissioner. WELD
ed cudgel against the present methods
OF railroads. He was followed by Walker
Hines, vice president Of the Louisville
md Nashville, who defended the system
and attacked the Interstate Commerce
Commission. The discussion was followed
By Emory r, johnson. assistan. professor
Of transportation and commerce OF the
University Of Pennsylvania, and B. y.
Meyer, Of the University Of Wisconsin.
Mr. Proutys paper was entitled Ma
tional Regulation OF Railways. Dis
elimination in rates. ehe evil OF past
years. he declared, had disappeared With
'ronsolidation. but in its place had come
the danger attending every monopoly
extortion in the charges imposed.
Advance in Freight Rates.
"As combinations have proceeded he
said. the public has been repeatedly as
sured that there was no danger OF any
advance in freight rates. Rates have
been advanced and are still advancing.
In the winter OF 1899 the rate on grain
from the Missouri River 20 New York fell
to u cents per hundred pounds. To-Day
it is 221z cents.
The railroad is the greatest and the
most dangerous Of all monopolies. II
the anthracite coal combine advances
the price OF that commodity to the
consumer 81 per ton # levles upon the
poor OF this country which uses that
coal tax Of $50 900 900 annually in
favor Of the wealth which profits by
that combine
There are now pending before the
commission for investigation com
plants which demand reductions prob
ably amounting in the aggregate TO
S15.OOo.O OOt annually. equivalent upon a
4 per cent basis to almost $500 OO0. 600
IN capitalization"
Mr.. PrOuty dealt with the powers Of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
which he declared were too limited.
Mr.. Hines Reply.
Mr. Hines. In a reply which amount
ed 10 an attack on the Interstate Com
merce Commission, spoke first OF the
agitation by the commission for the
rste-making power and its dissatisfac-
tion because IL had not succeeded in
getting it in its entirety. lie said:
The Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion Is neither an expert nor an i'm
partial tribunal, as Is proved By its do
cislons. and the action OF the courts upon
them. II is unnecessary. unwise. and
unjust 10 give ,Uch a tribunal practically
final power over the private capital in
vested in railroads At present the mis-
takes Of the railroads can be adequately
corrected in the courts. Under the pro-
posed method the mistakes Of the com
mission could not be corrected any
where"
Mr.. Hines also said
II Mr.. rrouty's claim is true that
rates on anthracite coal, on grain. and
other commodities have been unreasop-
ably increased in the past three or four
years he convicts the commission OF
which he IS a member. OF the most as
tonishing neglect OF duty. The law. az
confirmed by the courts. makes it the
imperative duty OF the commission 10 or
der the discontinuance Of unreasonable
rates, and the courts stand ready to en-
force the commissions lawful orders 20
that effect. Yet, according TO Mr. Prouty
the commission has wholly failed. for all
this time. TO perform a most important
duty"