The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-06-28
WEDNESDAY, JUNE u, 1905.
RAILROAD RATES IN MISSOURI.

NAAAhNOAD MA A|o ~ "WAScON -
According to a recent dispatch from
Kansas City, the railroads operating
in Missouri have secured a temporary
Injunction from the United States dis
trict court, by which the Missouri rail-
way and warehouse commissioners are
restrained from putting into effect the
maximum freight law enacted by the
last legislature. The provisions of the
law were to take effect on June II, but
the suit commenced by the railroads
named in the measure are confiscatory
and cannot be enforced.
Railroad representatives insist that
the maximum freight rates named in
the Missouri law are generally lower
than those adopted by either the Da.
kota or Nebraska legislatures, and
the rate schedules proposed in these
states were both declared unconstitu.
tional by the United States supreme
court, which held that the rates we're
too low to either yield 4 profit or pay
the operating expenses Of the rail.
roads. The courtsIhave power to pro-
tect railroads from crates that are too
low, but it does:not appear that they
can protect the public from rates that
are too high.t The latter condition
calls for legislative action that will
confer upon some tribunal the power
to fix freight rates that are fair to both
common carriers andushippers.
Missouri has a commission that pos.
sesses power tolfix rates on local traf.
tic, but members Of the state legisla-
ture concluded the commission was
too easy with the railroads.. They un.
dertOOk to name a scale of freight
rates t%hats:must be observed by the
commission, noscharge to be in excess
OF the rate named in the law they en-
acted. Governor Folk expressed sur.
prise at some of the rates named in
the measure, abut finally affixed his
signature to the bill with the remark
that If the rates were too low the
courts would give protection to the
railroads affected.
The Missouri lawmakers ideas a.
to what Is a fair rate upon some class
es of shipments may conflict with thos'
Of the courts. Here are some of tn,
rates named ia the law they enacted:
On carload lots of grain, flour, lime,
salt, cement, lumber, lath and shin
giles the uniform rate is S cents per 1O(
pounds for twenty-five miles and ! cen,
added for each additional twenty-five
miles. On agricultural implements,
furniture and wagons the carload rate
is 7 cents per 100 pounds for the frs,
twenty-five miles, and one cent more
for each additional twenty-five miles,
The rate on live stock per standard
car load Is ST for twenty-five miles, 8!
for fifty miles, Sll for seventy-tive tc
eighty.seven miles, Sl3 for 100 to II:
miles, and SO on, 81 being added 70,
each twenty-five miles. On stone,
crushed rock, sand and brick the car
load rate per ton of 1000 pounds is Il
cents for ten miles, 90 cents for twenty
miles and 5 cents added for each al
ditiOnal ten miles. On other con
modities the law makes rates that ar,
% to b per cent. less than the charge,
heretofore made.
The railroads that have applied tt
the courts for protection against thes,
rates are possibly right in their con
tention that the figures are too low t,
afford a reasonable profit, aud in tina
case they will not be required to com
ply with the law. They are entitle,
to a square deal. On the other hand
if there is no restraint upon or gov
ornamental supervision of the rate
making power, it appears that tn
railroads operating in Missouri O
any other state can effect u combina
ton and extort from shippers ever
cent the traffic will bear, without rel
creme to the value of the service
rendered.