The Washington times., 1905-01-01
RAILROADS DEFEND
ALL FREIGHT RATES
10 Oppose More Power for
Commission.
HISTORY OF ITS WORK CITED
HISTORY OF IT'S WORK cITEE
No Case of Exorbitance Pro.ed in
Court-Unjust Discrimi-a-
ton Rare

Because of alleged injustice IL soma
propositions for governmental control ef
the freight rates of the country. The
railroads have determined 70 bring taeIr
side OF the controversy with the IN
terstate Commerce Commission before
Congress some time early in the present
session
A number of prominent railroad nsen
have been in the city recently. the BEST
known being President Oscar G. hur-
ray, of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road, who was in Washington yestev-
day
President Murray had conferences with
Government officers and others iEteress-5
ed in the matter MIR Murray deciinet
TO give his opinions publicity yesterday
Railway Mans Views
Another Baltimore and Ohio o.Eeer
said:
The present agitation mas Grsugat
out many interesting facts. Dur the
interstate Commerce Commisi ttlssshs
an increase OF the powers of tie con-
mission would do AWAY wit9 the abuses
which are alleged TO exist, proof OF TIE
necessity of such a change SHOULD be
made.
In its annual report the Commission
rezserates its old assertion that more
power is needed. and then gives infcr-
NATION which tends 10 show that no
sucn an increase in power is needed.
no Case Proven
THE history OF the dcsngs of the
commission and the records of the
courts show that not single case OF
exorbitant rates has been proved in the
Federal courts since the organization
OF the commission in 1857.
The records also show that per
cent OF the complaints made TO the IN
terstate Commerce Commission are dis
posed of informally which mems that
many OF the alleged grievances are efs
such small and trivial character thz.t
they are given only passing notice
These eases include complaints as 20
: unreasonable rates. unjustly fiiseriEzsi-
rating rates. violations OF rate agree
| nents. and a great variety OF aIiesa-
! tions that cannot be classified.
EIkins Act a Help.
THE commission comedies. however,
that the EIkins act has been of very
| great help in improving the law for the
| regulation of commerce. The resalt
/ may be that under its operation 81 or IS
per cent of all the complaints made 70
the commission may be settled even
without a formal hearing
In its report the commission shows
i that of tS7 complaints received. z25 were
/ disposed OF informally and only s.. o.
/ just I3 per cent. were heard formally
such a showing from the official reer-
I orcs is the most conclusive proof THAI
the public is, and has been, receiving az
Just and as fair treatment from the
re- lroads Is from any business in the
!. country Based upon experiences, not
more than FIVE OF six OF the sixty deiss-
sions viii be Appealed to the courts
and not more than one or two can be
maintained" "
! Credit for Conditions
TIE speaker concIuoed with the asser-
ZION that the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. in reporting the results OF the
present system to Congress. does net
explain that it IS due 10 the government
of the railroads and only partly TO Gov
lernraent control
It has also been proved. he ended.
that there has been found only one case
of unjust discrimination Ter every two
and a half years the commission has
been in existence, out OF the millions OF