New-York tribune., 1905-02-27
MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM RATES

MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM RATES
As TO the reasonabIeness and justice Of transpor-
tation rates and on the subject OF maximum and
minimum rates. President Tutte has this to say:
raximum rate also fix a minimurr rate and YOU
~ ~ NAL ] nv statement thar it must do SO being
That whoever exercises the power To FIX tho r1ax-
mum. price of transportation must likewise and oy
fact 50 elementary and seiG-evidenj To every one
rot suppose it needed srgurlenfatiye support but
ever government prescrihes reaSorabia and lust
transportation rate It's reasOna hleness business
rier the shipper, the producer aud the purchasers
and users OF the comm9dity or product transported:
when so prescribed must. because it is reasonable
rightfuIly charged by the carrier or paid by the
sma'ppST m ana II there. orr IS IN equity the minimum
as Wei as the maximum rate chaTgeabie aud pay
able for the prescribed service. This is not
toi4erS CONG business IN me pIeserloed locality
2ut @ so as 10 9thsr Trans 2or{stlon conPanie sery
II is a commonly accepted rule that the c5mmunf-
ties lying along the Atlantic seaboard from Port
land. Ne, to Baltimore, Nd. being for commercial
purposes practG2iiy fquIdisant from the western
market prices Of these supplies and their cost Of
ways; and if there is al any time a marked differ
ence in the price o these commonly used articles -
ties in the Of their transportation that diff
ference works a discrimination thar is at once con
s.dered reasonable cause for complaint investiga-
ton ami adjustment Now suppose government
fixes rates for the transportation from Chicago to
New-York of these necessary and widely used ar
cause they are just and reasonable. shall not only
be uniformly charged by the carrying agency. but
shipper as Vel as by the New-York purchasers
ING Fun r. ~ a.t Sq te d I'SS d, one
taton lines affected. and fov the, Chicago sellers
and the New-1 orN consumers, the minimum as
well the maximum rates that may be equitably
true if the rates are Just and reasonable But sup
pose other lines OF transportation not Included
Saeo s,'' and Sew-Yorf rates shan desids to place
their prices for CARRYING these same HldeIy needed
Boston materially below the just and reasonable
Chicago to New-York transportation, viii not
fairness and equity demand that government again
consumer ma prescribe that the just and reason
York shall Amply to Ike shlPI2f4ts made under Ike
ard similar eo"diu0us rom chicago 70 Baltimore,
three last named communities work such an in
Justice 10 merchants and consumers in New YorI.
that they Will rehtfuly demand that government
from Chicago to New-Y OH in Substitution for that
and Teason4bls rate? And mus not this process
Of continually substituting love- just and reason
ner ms its nIain duf, If ixine min y rafa fbef
like ana similar business between like or similar
ATTITUDE OF RAILROAD OFFICIALS
President Tuttle denies that railroad officials Lax
behind public opinion tp recognition Of the fun
damenta fact that railroads are quasi public cor
porarons. calling for more public resulst stion than
does ordinary private business" lie says h does
not know what quaSi-puhlic corporation is and
continues follows:
tered 70 perform specific public duties They have
been given none Of their rights by the national
the moneys used IN their construction. While
iIs =eTyce ec[por95tio2ns 56aI 5hey faIis p55-
1qrfo the public duties for which they were
illGrip
forget the duty ther owe 70 tho hundreds OF thou,
sands Of investors who Guilt and the railways
trru uuon ;her Investments. The ma,lagers Of
tees@ phnltc service corporations do not trtivtdu-
ally collectively object 70 stiuer-
vision Of their pubdc functions. but they do object
Tor that vii ze ont OF their hands m, pover ~
FIX the prices - "hica their transp2rta ton product
commission made up If who regardless of
the results but viii alW1ys have their ears tho
gr2'na gnGgan GiiAz 10 mt FFct ~. plhlic temper
E s6ease tr.t ,,h. fenluc- F.tlic com WI. MI
npgniI7ted in thS Interest Of t6s pnhin and t re
the corporations, and their views therefore
are complained To- their drst self-inqtIiry is most
apt 20 be How little is IL necessary TO damage the
ppuS demsn ma ''' N''Sfy OF pa'fy
\ particular reason urged why railroad managers
Sh"dld sTacefiiiy allow the rate making power TO be
exercised ny government is IN its nature somcw
Tney told in precise language that unless they
are willing surrender this valuable property right
grfa tiv Increased its proportons that the interests
ef their shareholders may he wholly dsreearded
and government may md il necessary IN the public
This Is no lima aguary spectre 1t has so often
found voice at tho hearings ard debates OF Con-
gress and y thc newspaper press that II has he
ot misunderstanding its purport.
STEPS TOWARD GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP. /
aii not Genluring np an 'imasi,lary spectre IN
rate making 1t Will take the first lens step toward