Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-06-03
JOSEPH NlMMo on RATE MAKING.

The Well Known Authority on Rail-
way Statistics Believes the Recent
Laws Adequate.
Washington, D. c., June 3.-Joseph
Nimmo, Jr.. statistician and economist,
does not favor additional power for the
members of the interstate commerce
commission. Mr.. Nimmo has studied
the question. He has not confined
himself to the conditions of American
railroads. He has studied the carriers
of Europe. But he would have no ad-
ditional power bestowed upon the COM
mission.
and my reason is a simple one,"
said Mr.. Nimmo today. "They have
power enough. 1t is not necessary for
me to take the word of a railroad
president to prove this. l have the
statements of the commissioners them
selves. They are contained in the
form Of report
The economist reached into his
pocket. When his hands came forth
they held small book. 1t was the
report of the interstate commerce COM
mission.
Zone hears much Of the troubles of
the members of the commission con-
tinued Mr.. Nimmo. "It is charged the
railroads will make no effort to OBJ
serve its rulings and that the COM
mission must always call upon the
courts to enforce the power which it
now possesses. 1t is charged mind
you. And now for the proof"
Mr.. Nimmo turned to the page
which contained record of those
cases in which it was charged that an
exhorbitant rate had been fixed. 81
find" began Mr.. Nimmo, that fifteen
of such cases have been appealed by
the commission since it's existence.
And you must remember the commits
sion has been in existence for eigh-
teen years. Less than one case in
which exhorbitant charges were in
volved has been appealed a year.
Now remember 1 say appealed. In
three cases the commissioners were
upheld and the ruling was against
them in twelve cases. So as far as
exhorbitant rates are concerned the
commission has been sustained three
times by the courts in the past eigh-
teen years.
Mr.. Nimmo consulted his report
once more. "Then one sometimes
hears it charged that railways are
guilty of unjust discrimination. There
have been thirty-two such cases ap-
pealed by the commission since it's
existence. The court thought the
commission right in eight cases and
wrong in twenty-four.
''Now the total number of formal
and informal complaints reported by
the commission is 1906, of which IS
or n per cent have been appealed to
the courts, the remainder (9Sk per
cent? having been disposed of by the
commission.
The total number of decisions rem
dered by the commission and by the
courts as to exhorbitant rates and I'M
just Determinations is really infini-
tesimal as compared with the many
millions of freight transactions yearly.
"The statement of the interstate
commerce commission clearly proves
the efficiency and suficiency of the
act to regulate commerce as amended.
The report also reflects great credit
upon the conduct of the American rail-
road system as well as upon the ad-
ministration of the present statutory
regulations of the railroads. At the
same time the report utterly repels
the revolutionary idea of establishing
bureaucratic government in this coun-
try for the regulation of interstate
commerce. The very assumption that
more drastic statutory legislation than
that now in force is needed is upon
its face preposterous."