The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-29
THE UNWARRANTED INCREASE
OF FREIGHT RATES.

of this State, eliminating in a Con-
vention in Greensboro. looking to bet
ter service and lower rates to the
| business men and manufacturers. Inc
Legislature passed several acts that
were desired by merchants, notably
1.-THE demurrage act which the South
ern Railway is now fighting in the
courts. This paper lent its influence
| and active aid to secure this legisla-
| ton.
For some years the wholesale gro
GERS and jobbers in North Carolina
have been trying to get the railroads
to give to North Carolina cities the
same carload rates that are given to
Virginia cities, and this paper has
printed column after column showing
the injustice of discriminating against
North Carolina towns and cities. To
show the discrimination and it's inju-
rious effects, we copy the following
from a letter written by Mr.. E. l..
Harris, of Raleigh, and printed in the
News and Observer of April 10th, this
year:
81 had a car of oats shipped from
Chicago, through Raleigh to Norfolk
the same car forwarded back to
Raleigh and the cost was no more
than it would have been to stop the
car in Raleigh giving a gratuitous
haul of $50 miles to our Virginia
friends"
The wrong to North Carolina job
bers by this discrimination works so
great a hardship that this paper join
ed with the jobbers in fighting for a
new rate that would put Raleigh and
Greensboro jobbers on the same foot
ing as Richmond and Norfolk. The
matter is one that cannot be rene
died by the North Carolina Corpora
ton Commission, because the carload
lots come from points outside of the
State If Congress would give to the
Interstate Commerce Commission the
same power that North Carolina has
given to the Corporation Commission,
the North Carolina jobbers would
have some legal remedy. But as the
railroads have too many attorneys in
the Senate to make any amendment
at this time possible, the North Car
Dina jobbers have been from time to
time urging upon the railroads a re-
duction of the carload rates to North
Carolina points. But all their petit
tons for just rate, all their demands
to be put upon equality with the Vir
ginia cities, all their statements show
ing unjust discrimination have been
unheeded, and they have been forced
to do business against adverse and i'm
justifiable determinations.
During the past year the railroads
| have been, without excuse or reason
advancing freight rates upon nearly
| all Interstate business. Sometimes
| the increase came in classification,
sometimes in direct increase of the
rate, and sometimes in other indirect
ways. 1t has added heavily to the tax
upon the people. Having determined
| upon still further increase in freight
rates, the railroads on the ninth of
March issued an order increasing the
| freight rates on articles of prime ne
cessity in quantities of less than car
! load rates. There was no reason why
the rate on -four, meal, corn, rice,
mill-stuff linseed oil, grains, meats of
all kinds, lard, etc., should be increas-
ed Shortly after the increase was
made, Mr. Henry c. Brown, secretary
of the Corporation Commission, inter
viewed by the Times said:
"The railroads are getting all the
freight that they can transport with
any degree of promptness. They are
in a more prosperous condition than
have ever known them to be, and /
can think of no reason that can be adj
vanced why an increase in freight
rates should be suggested at this time;
however, the proposed advance you
speak of applies to interstate traffic
and will not effect intra-state traffic,
over which this Commission has con-
troll, and I am sure our Commission
will do all it can within it's power to
prevent any advance in rates."
Inasmuch as the rate was intra-
state, the North Carolina Commission
did not have the power to remedy the
increase. In order to sugar-coat the
pill, which would increase the price
the railroad folks gave it out that
they had increased these freight rates
at the request of North and South
Carolina jobbers. There was no truth
in this impression, for these jobbers
had not asked to have these rates in
creased, they do not now wish them
increased, and they do not believe
any conditions exist warranting such
increase. What the jobbers of North
Carolina, who have suffered untold
losses by the Determinations against
them, did demand was this: That
they be given the same carload rates
from the West that are given to Vir-
ginia cities. This demand was rea-
sonable and ought to be granted. Re-
fusal to grant it is such discrimina-
ton against this State as would not
be tolerated minute if the railroads
did not control the national govern
| ment in it's railroad policy. That is
what the North Carolina jobbers ask
ed. What did they get? An order
increasing freight rates on less than
carload lots. They asked for bread