The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1905-12-16
ILLINOIS BOARD
REDUCES RATES.
Makes Horizontal Cut of 20
Per Cent on Schedule
Made in 1887.
NO INJURY TO THE RAILROADS
Carriers Have Already Put Into Effect
Tariffs In Some Instances Lower
Than Those Promulgated by the
Commission.

Springfield. H.. Dec. 6.-The much
heralded freight rate reduction In III.
nois came Tuesday afternoon, when
the Illinois railroad and warehouse
commission announced a horizontal
reduction OF 20 per cent on the SEIZED.
ule made In 1887.
On paper the reduction looks as IL
II will seriously affect the railroads,
but as matter of fact. Il will not.
Since the beginning of the agitation
over the freight rate matter the roads
have been reducing rates 70 the more
clamorous OF the dissatisfied communl-
ties and In a large number OF them
the rates agreed upon by the commits
sion and even lower ones are In force.
Chicago shippers recently were given
substantial reduction and their rates
Will drop only about 2 per cent.
Smaller Towns Are Affected.
The most important result OF the re-
duction is the effect on the shippers
OF the smaller towns. which are now
put on an equality with shippers in the
larger cities. Springfield Decatur and
Danyille are the only cities OF conse-
quence where the reduction VIII be OF
much effect These cities have not
been enjoying the commodity rates
given to some OF the other cities and
In common with the little towns have
been paying the full tariff schedules.
Under the new ruling. which goes
into effect Jan. /. freight rates In I'LL
nois Will be slightly lower than the
schedules OF Iowa. Michigan and Ohio.
but not so low as the actual rates CIV
en- by the railroads voluntarily In
these states and Indiana. There are
local conditions in Indiana which make
II a matter OF interest to the railroads
to give low rates.
The decision was given out after an
all-day conference with Gov. Deneen
Isaac Elwood OF De Kalb, who did not
participate In the original hearing OF
the case and who also sell
dom attends a meeting OF
the commission, was present and his
name appears In the official order.
There are rumors OF bitter feeling over
the freight rate matter. but nothing
tangible can be learned II is under
stood that Chairman James Neville OF
Bloomington was for forcing a greater
reduction and that the figures agreed
upon are compromise.
Roads VIII Not Suffer.
Gov Denecn said he did not regard
the reduction as excessive or a hard
ship on the roads. for the reason that
some OF them had already made vol.
untary reductions TO some OF the
cities. He laughed al the proposition
that the reduction would have the Of.
feet OF Gripping the business Of the
roads or causing a disturbance In the
wage scale OF employees.
Some OF the railroad men who were
at the hearing had made the state
ment that the roads would be serious.
~ affected by the decision and some
formidable figures based upon the as.
sumption that the roads were charg-
ing the full tariffs under II e old rates
have been published These. however.
mean nothing. for In only a few in
stances have the old rates been
charged since the agitation for lower
freight rates was started.
When the decision was announced
formal protests were made by the at
torneys for the railroads.
Commissioners Neville and French
said It was understood the commits
sion would be the same a year from
now as Il was today and that IL the
railroads hereafter show they can
not do a profitable business under the
revised schedule the commission will
have the same courage in raising Il
that It had in making tho present or
der