The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-17

law were passed, an essential feature
Of any law providing for government
rate making is the prohibition of un-
just determinations. This means, of
course, discrimination between locali-
ties as well as between individuals, for
the competition between localities is
much more important than that be-
tween individuals in the broad COM
mercial organization of the United
States The self-interest of localities
would cause them to force the COM
mission to copstrue this provision of
the law The commission could not
prevent discrimination except by the
adoption of the mileage basis. No
other arrangement would serve the
purpose; for If a rate of so cents
hundred from Chicago to Boston were
adopted areipSt feE particular ella class c OF
class from Buffalo to Boston was 40
cents, Buffalo, being only half as far
from Boston as Chicago, undoubtedly
could-and would-enforce readjust-
ment which would give her shippers
rate one-half that Of Chicago.
interests Grain Growers
This is the point that interests the
grain grower. At the present time, as
is well known, the railroads give a
much lower rate in proportion to dis
Sance on long haul than on short haul
freight of this character From Chi
cago to New York grain is carried for
13 cents hundred; while from Buffa-
10, which is within few miles exactly
half way between Chicago and New
York, the grain rate to the latter city
is 10 cents a hundred. From other
points even nearer to New York than
Buffalo the same rate prevails. Dur
ing the last few months corn has been
tod sNAr
ports for 13 cents, a rate lower than
that charged from points in West Vir-
ginia and Ohio which are less than
one-fifth as far distant from the sea-
board.
Such considerations as these are en-
tering into the popular discussion of
the rate making question, which Is to
be uppermost at Washington during
the summer, and are serving to re-
mind shippers, merchants and the pub
lie generally that there are two sides
to this question, and that to confer
the rate making power on any COM
mission would truly be what Judge
Cooley once referred to as "a super
human task"
Many Are Called
Following is a list of the railroad
men who have been requested to ap-
pear before the senate committee on
interstate commerce, which will begin
it's inquiry into railroad regulation
next Monday:
w. K. Vanderbilt of the New York
Central George Gould of the Gould
system, Z. II. Hartman OF the Union
Pacific, j. ]. Hill of the Great North
ern, A. ]. Cassatt Of the Pennsylvania,
Z. d. Kenna, vice president Of the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe: Walker
d. Hines, general counsel OF the Louis
Villn e. Nashville. Hugh T, Pond
eral counsel of the Baltimore e. Ohio;
Winslow Pierce, general counsel of the
Gould system; President Hughitt of
the Chicago & North Western, Presi-
dent Ripley of the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa B'e, President Tuttle of the
Boston G. Maine Vice President Will
cox of the Delaware & Hudson, Presi-
dent Truesdale of the Delaware, Lack
awanna e. Western, President Spencer
of the Southern. President Mellen of
the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford and President Fish of the Illinois
Central
OF these only Messrs. Cassatt, Fish,
Spencer and Tuttle have signified a
willingness to attend, and they say
they will not be able TO be present at
the beginning Of the committees sit
tings. A number of other witnesses
have been summoned, however, and
it is expected that the committee will
be able 10 proceed soon after COM
ing together. Among the nonrailroad
men to be heard are Senators Spooner,
Knox and Morgan, Prof. w. u. Ripley
of Harvard university and Victor
MorawetZ, the corporation attorney of
New York.
Will Probe Subject
The committee has been summoned
to meet at p. m. today, and Chair
man Elkins of the committee has an
nounced his purpose to go very thor
oughly into the subject. The resolu-
ton under which the hearings will be
held directs the committee Ito con-
slider the question Of additional legis-
lation to regulate interstate commerce
and to authorize the interstate COM
merce commission to fix rates OF
freights and fares, and to acquire fur
ther information as to interstate COM
merce, including violations or evasions
of the anti-rebate law, and the devices
and methods by which such evasions
are accomplished and including refrig-
orator and other private car systems,
industrial railway tracks. switching
charges and the like, and also to con-
slider what legislation should be enact
ed in relation to the liability of rail-
road companies engaged in interstate
traffic, or operating lines in any ter
ritory of the United States for injuries
received by their employees when in
fhn Jicnl Of rfxyD