Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-14

COMPARISON I H E r ULE

he Says the Rates In Themselves %
Not Bring Out Much Complaint But
It Is Their Relation As Between the
Markets That Is the Subject Of
crltlcism.
Washington, D. g., Jan. 13--Paul
Morton, secretary Of the navy and for
merly vice president of the Atchison
Topeka and Santa Fe railroad com.
pany, IS the author of an article on
the railway rate question which is
published in the Outlook today.
| he IN the outset expressly disclaimS
writing as q representative Of Presi.
dent Roosevelt's administration, ana
says he speaks merely as one with ex.
tensive experience pertinent to an i'm.
portant subject
The secretary in the article says
there are few complaints against rail-
road rates per Sc in the United States,
the chief trouble being with "the re.
lation OF rates as between markets"
He says there are as many rates that
are TOO low as there are rates which
q court would decide to be too high,
and that either class of rates may be
equally disastrous to communities. He
expresses the opinion that federal sup.
ervision of railroads is necessary, but
adds that regulation and protection
should go together
Sees Three Possibilities.
/ He says that one of the three things
conduct Of our railways:
First-Legalizatio of pools the rest
jof the railroads to make enforceable
contracts between themselves as to q
4 division of earnings. SO that they can
resist the temptations of big shippers
and be assured fair share Of the
business moving at stable rates. which
shall apply alike to all patrons,
4 Second-The further ,lnifcation Of
ownership. thereby delivering in time
the entire railway ownership Of the
country in the hands Of few individ-
uals or one syndicate.
Third--Government ownership, the
worst of the three evils" If such they
may be called. In the opinion of Mr..
Morton government ownership OF our
railroads would be the beginning of In.
dustrial and political chaos.
He favors the first proposition, with
adequate provision to assure rates be-
ing reasonable.
Would Continue Commission.
AS to pending legislation Mr.. Morton
favors the continuance of the inter.
i state commerce commission in sub.
stantially its present form, saying:
Let 1t go on making Investigations
and findings. If 1t finds rate is un.
reasonable (either too high or too low,
; everything else being considered) J, let
; 1t order such rates as 1t deems reason.
/ able, and IL the railroads do not make
2 them effective in thirty days, then the
, entire matter to be referred to CEN
: tral court of transportation Of, say.
! three or five members, to be created
: especially to consider and expedite all
questions Of Interstate commerce so
! far as the transportation Of the coun-
!, try Is concerned, 1t being understood
u that this central court shall have power
; to adjudicate in all such cases except
! those involving constitutional ques.
Z tions; and the findings of this court In
interstate matters to be final.
t Punishment for Rebates.
!, II would urge severe punishm ents
n for railroads or steamboat lines en-.
d gagged in interstate comm cree which by
|, any device paid rebates, commissions,
e or in any way afforded preferential
rates, and the punishment should be
just as severe to shippers or commits
sion agents seeking or receiving them.
would permit the railroads to divide
their earnings or tonnage among them.
= selves, filing all such agreements with
the interstate commerce com mission
for it's information, and would make
:, these contracts enforceable as between
= the railroads.
: II would do this as an insurance to
: the small shippers securing the lowest
= rate and as protection to the trans
= portation against the vast tonnage and
consequent temptation offered by the
big shippers, which SO frequently has
], been used to secure inside rates. II
Z these contracts, were illegal or against
+ public policy, or unreasonably In re-
straint of trade, then let them be re.
: viewed by the same court of commerce.
II would favor, even if it were nee.
essary to have constitutional amend.
ment to accomplish it, the declaration
that all transportation by rail was
= hereafter to be considered Interstate
com merce and subject only to federal
y supervision, thereby relieving the
states of this prerogatiye and estab.
fishing one central regulation, the fed.
g eral power. {,
s. II would favor an agitation and shap-
IS ing Of public opinion that would not
n tolerate such thing as preferential
rate and would make it equally disa
g greeable to grant or receive It.. The
3 Presidents message on this subject
meets the views OF all good citizens
G whether engaged in railroading or ship.
lping."