The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-05-24
RATE LEGISLATION.
General Manager Day of the M. & St. I.
Talks on Subject.

INTERVIEW uECId1Gu kh1t LII PoO@~
mand for drastic federal legislation of
railways was waning and that con-
siderable revision of sentiment is IN
progress in the west. He discussed the
question of rates and the sentiment OF
shippers at some length, stating that
the sentiment is growing that present
laws will be found sufficient, II the
government authorities and the inter
state commerce commission enforce
them.
1.-THE greatest danger of the present
agitation for drastic laws" said Gener-
al Manager Day, sis that hasty action
may be taken. resulting later in con-
dition which will be as unsatisfactory
to the shippers and the public at large
as to the railways. A hopeful lndlca
ton that this danger may be avoided
is found in the revision of sentiment
which is now occurring and the more
marked tendency on the part OF busl-
ness men and those who make our
laws to inquire very carefully into ex-
listing laws and present conditions be-
fore adopting new legislation.
"The business of the railways is ex-
ceptionally intricate. Freedom to
exercise their ability to economically
handle traffic is of the most vital inn
portance to every line CT business and
commercial endeavor in the United
States With millions of different
freight rates in force and when some
of the larger railways are forced to
make several thousand rate changes a
month in equalizing and revising their
tariffs it seems to me quite impossible
that federal commission, composed
even of the ablest men in the country,
could satisfactorily make rates for all
the railways.
ITO make rates is not the most inn
portant question. OF still greater inn
portance to business men is the tremen-
dous task of adjusting them with proper
relation to each other, revising them
to meet the thousands upon thousands
of changing local conditions each of
which involves the ability of some firm
or business man to meet competition
in the territory the rate in question
covers.
mo one believes an interstate COM
merce commission could make all the
rates for all the railways. That is I'M
possible on its face. 1t is not less inn
possible that an interstate commerce
commission could make all the rates
for all the railways. That is impossi-
BILE on its face. 1t is not less impossi-
bic that an interstate commerce COM
mission satisfactorily make even a
small percentage of the more impor-
| tant rates. But one single rate is often
the key to the rates of an extensive ter
| ritory. The interrogation, of freight
and passenger rates makes it impossi-
BILE to tamper with one without revis-
ing and adjusting many others some
times hundreds of other rates.
1.-THE present federal law is sufficient
to cure the evils of which the public
complains. | share this opinion with
hundreds of railway officials who are
in daily contact with shippers and
receivers of freight. What is needed is
not new legislation but the enforce
ment of present laws.
"While there has been demand
for new laws, there is still a surprising
lack of information of the details of the
measures now pending before Congress
Many shippers believe the Townsend
bill will cure rebates, and men have
talked with have been surprised when
have pointed out the fact that the
bill contains not one line or word OF
anti-rebate legislation. The rebate
question seems to be one in which the
public is greatly interested. The FL
kins law specifically prohibits rebates
and provides severe penalties. We
have the law already, but there has
yet been no action in the courts to en-
force anti-rebate laws against any
American railway. If rebates are still
granted here is the law which will deal
with them and abolish them.
cit is unnecessary to comment upon
the widespread hardships unreasona-
BILE railway regulation will infiict upon
the business interests of the country
The task of making rates is one the
federal government cannot rightly I'M
dertake. Should it assume this power
and fail it would mean lrretrievable
disaster. / believe that were the in
terstate commerce commission granted
the power to make rates it would even
tually be forced to declare distance tar
ifs for the United States as the only
equitable basis upon which it could act
''The distance tariff would limit the
field of every manufacturer and distrib-