The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-05-09

antirebate law will probably follow as
the interstate commission now has
great deal Of evidence which shows
that this law has been violated.
Will cIinch the Cases.
The investigation is for the purpose
of clinching the cases against the of
tenders, for relieving the public of ex-
orbitant freight charges and to devise
some plan for correcting the practice
of allowing rebates which has become,
so common.
The question of the private car lines
entering into exclusive contracts with
a number Of trunk lines will also be in
vestigated Under these contracts GER
tain railroads have agreed to transport
fruits and other perishable products
In cars owned by private lines TO the
exclusion of all other cars. This mas
increased the rates on articles of this
class one third, amounting in many
Both Sides Stir Under Load.
Shippers of fruit have complained to
the interstate commerce commission
against these exorbitant charges and
the railroads themselves are anxious
to be relived of the incumbus of the
private car lines, which have been de-
nounced by some of the railroad Off
Gals as pirates which hold up the rail-
roads and demand division of freight
rates, the proportion exacted being be-
yond the bounds of reason.
Railroads with terminals at New
York, Chicago, st. Louis, Baltimore,
Philadelphia and other large cities have
suffered at the hands of the private
car lines, and they would welcome
some action on the part of congress,
which would relieve them of the ne
cessity of paying tribute to these lines.
1t has been held by the interstate
commerce commission, after an ex-
haustive investigation, that these pri-
vate car lines are common carriers
and that they should publish their tar
iff rates, but instead of doing this they
charge any rate they please, and in do
ing so have violated the provisions of
the Elkins antirebate law, and made
themselves liable to heavy punishment.
So great nave been these charges in
the case of the industrial lines, like
| those in the harvester trust and the
private car line owned by the steel
trust that $12 a car has been charged
! where it has been found that SO would
have been ample compensation for the
service performed.
The law prevents the giving and re-
| ceiving of rebates and these transac-
lions, according to the findings of the
| interstate commerce commission, are
| in violation of the law, and both the
trunk and private car lines were part
les to the violations, are liable to pros
ecution.
| Particular attention will be paid to
| the transactions of the lines owned by
Armour & Co., the cars Of which con-
Germ were employed in the transporta-
ton of fruit from Michigan over the
| lines Of the Pere Marquette. the Mich
| igan Central, and the Grand Rapids
and Indiana railroads, all Of which
companies enter into exclusive con-
| tracts with the Armours for the use
! Of their cars. Evidence is in the hands
of the commission which shows that in
the transportation Of this business
there has been an increase Of $50 per
cent in the charges.
The International Harvester COM
| pany and the steel trust own short
lines connecting their plants with va
rious railroads which operate In their
vicinity. Two or three years ago both
| these trusts charged $3.50 car for
hauling them over their lines, but re-
Gently these charges were increased to
$12. Already the interstate commits
sion has held that these charges are
unreasonable
AR.S.(.@.(.(