The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-06-21
WEDNESDAY. JUNE II, 1905.
RAILROAD RATE CONCNDRUMS.

The proposed government regulation
of freight rates is viewed with alarm
in railroad circles. The various rail
road companies have organized liter.
airy bureaus which are furnishing
newspapers with articles calculated to
influence public sentiment regarding
the necessity for government supervis-
ion of Interstate commerce.. the sub
stance of these press bulletins being
that no legislation of the kind recon-.
mended by President Roosevelt is nee.
essary. The president, it will be re.
membered, made the declaration that
railroad transportation should be open
20 all shippers upon equal terms, and
recommended that, in order to secure
that reform, the interstate commerce
commission be given power to fix
freight rates in cases where they are
manifestly unjust or unreasonable.
The railroads are opposed to any
legislation which contemplates the
transfer of the rate-making power to
the interstate m commission,
the courts, or any other impartial tri.
bunal. They claim that the rate.mak.
ing business is a most intricate prOpO.
sition: that it requires such a high
degree of intelligence, such a knowl-
edge of peculiar conditions, such con
sideration for the welfare of railroad
companies, that it should not be en-.
trusted to any authority that is not
Interested in securing the greatest pos
sible profit TO common carriers.
The railroad side of the controversy
is entitled to respectful consideration,
bat the arguments advanced by their
literary bureaus would have better,
effect if they dealt with complaints re-
gardiug unjust rates that have been
made public. The people want an X
PLANTATION that explains. A ~cleverly
wOrded statement as to the great work
performed by railroads In developing
the u of the country Is not half
SO convincing as a clear and satisfac-
tory exposition of the reasons why a
short haul il charged a higher price
than service covering q greater dis
lance.
The fruit growers Of the Bitter Root
valley, for Instance, would be inter-
ested in an explanation of the trans.
portation rates charged upon their
products. A resident of Ravalli coun.
ty informed the River Press some time
30 that he found the rate upon a "
LOAD Of apples from Hamilton to Boze-
man was almost p%rohibitive; but by
billing the shipment to Fargo, N. d.,
and having it hauled back to Boze'
man, he could effect a considerable
saving in freight. This is a railroad
rate couundrum to which no one, not
even a rate.making expert. has given
q satisfactory answer.
A case which was recently presented
TO the ate committee on interstate
commerce also deies explanation.
The merchants Of Spokane complain
that the rate upon certain commodi'
ties shipped from Chicago to that
city, a distance of about 1920 miles
is $3.50 per 100 pounds:.while Il SINH
lar shipment is carried $40 furthe,
west to Seattle, a total haul Of about
226O miles, at u rate of $l.OO per l0'
pounds. If the latter is carried at
loss, the shippers at other points mus
make good by paying high rates: if
rate of 81 90 per 100 pounds for a hau
of 2260 miles yields a profit, VIII.
should Spokane merchants pay Sl.SI
for a haul of l920smiles over the SANE
track:
Railroad rate conundrums are bein
propounded all over the country. Chi
cayo merchants recently complaine
to the Illinois railroad cOmmissio
that they r not getting u square dea
from transportation companies.
they wish to ship first.class freight t
Springfield, H., a distance of onl
1913 miles, the charge is II cents pr
cwt., while jobbers in Detroit ca
ship the sane class of goods
Springfield, a haul Of Ala miles,
IS cents per cwt. They further COZ
planned that the rate from lndianap
lis to Springfield is 81 cents as again
the Chicago-Springheld rate of
cents, the distance being practical
the same in each case.
The merchants of ST. Louis nj
have a few rate conundrums und
discussion. The rate on tirst-cla
merchandise from St. Louis to Alta
ia, GIL miles, is sl.35 per 100 poun.
while the rate from New York to !
lanta, $40 miles, is 1926. Similar d
elimination exists in rates 10 otf
southern points, and much trade Il
would naturally go to St. Louis
divartad tn other cities that hs