The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-02-23
Stoves Could be Shipped far Cheaper
by Mail if the Four Pound
Limit Were Removed
MORToKs ARTICLE ANSWERED
Determinations Are the Rule All
Over the Country in Making
Freight Rates


nation on railway rates lend weight to
their words, have recently stated that
rates generally are reasonable Mr..
Paul Morton, late of the Santa Fe
railway, if not now secretly connected
with it, has contributed to the Outlook
OF January IA issue, an article in which
he says, There are very few Gem
plants Of railway rates per Sc in the
United States" Had the gentleman
said that taking the transportation OF
the United States, a charge of twenty
dollars for hauling forty thousand
pounds of any commodity any dis
lance, Is not of itself unreasonable,
we could have accepted his statement
as true, for that is five cents per hum
dred pounds, or the average rate which
they have charged on the total ton
mage the roads have handled for the
average distance.
But If they are speaking of indi-
yidualized rates on the ton per mile
theory their statement becomes glar-
ingly untrue Transportation over iron
tTamWays is grSwth from the OK cart
mode Of transit, in which the rights
OF eminent domain become a new ele-
ment in the equasiOn of rate making
which the managers have disregarded
from the dawn of railways to the pres
ent. In order that justice may be done
70 all parties at interest-to railways
as well as to the public, the individ-
ualized rate which belongs with the
OK cart, must give way under the exer-
else OF rights Of eminent domain. to
the average rate. The average rate
IL per Sc a just rate and can not be
complained of, If the sum of individual
rates which the roads have exacted is
just.
But the facts are, those rates have
been and are now widely extortionate.
When we propose now to fix upon the
exact postal rate of five cents per hun
dred pounds, which their report shows
to be the average they have made, we
pay tribute over reasonable rate to
them in just proportion fer their fund
OF wisdom and enterprise above that
due the average man. The writer yields
the palm to no one in admiration for
the enterprise and skill of men who
and operated railways But we must
insist that they be made to compre-
bend that the average rate contains the
shortest rate and the longest rate, and
all intermediate rates. That from the
average rate they have paid all divi-
bends, all interest on bonds, all ope-
rating expenses, damages and better
ment OF roads. From that fund has
come the waste in combine accounting,
in wilderness of tariffs, in passes. and
In debauching legislators
Let us examine the rates on any
article of commerce on the ton per
mile theory and it's notifications. on
which rates have heretofore been made.
II we give Mr.. Morton credit for sim
cerity and the rates appear to us to
De unreasonable, we will have to ques-
ton his Judgment or conclude he has
not the ability to judge for us what
reasonable rates are.
Classification and complicated class
rates make for those not accustomed
to rate sheets, difficult to understand
what rates apply on specific articles of
commerce. For that reason instead of
quoting class rates, we will cite few
articles representative of goods in
common use and show the present
rates. In this letter we will trace a
car of stoves.
Most every family has stove. We
will make shipment from a stove
foundry to representative points which
will show: First, that while we have
laws against combines, all the trans
portation lines are in combine as to
rate making and divisions of territory.
Second, that rates from points one hun
dred to three hundred miles west of
the Atlantic ocean they claim to be
effected by water competition. while no
such effect is felt east of the Pacific
ocean. If points inland west of the
Atlantic coast are effected by water
rates, those east of the Pacific coast
should for similar distance be eff
fected, or it is time we'll spent in look
Ing for the niger in the wood pile.
Third, that class rates are made and
then at favored localities commodity"