Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1905-08-04
In discussing the railroad rate quss-

In discussing the railroad rate quss-
ton, the rights of the general public
the consumers who in the last in
5 ance pay all the freight seems to be
pretty well overlooked. All tho ar
guments are for the shipper, or Tor
the railroads and the consumer Is
left to bear the burden, while all sorts
of devices are proposed to aid the
shipper and preserve to the corpora
tons their right to charge all the
traffic will bear. The latest PROPOSE
ton is that, claims for overcharges
shall be kept in escrow until the
conrts decide il the rate established
by the Com mission, in place OF the
rate declared to be unreasonable, shall
stand. This will involve litigation
between the railroads and the ship
pers, while the consumer will still be
paying the unreasonable rate, which
is added to the price of the goods he
buys. If the court eventually decides
that the original rate was unreasen-
able and the lower rate proposed by
the Commissio shall stand, the ship
per will have returned to him the
difference between the old rate aud
the new one. Will the shipper hunt
up bis customers when the matter has
been decided by the courts, maybe
many years hence aud return the
extra profits he charged to cover the
old unreasonable rate? He could not
do so, if he would, as some customers
would be dead, others gone 10 live
elsewhere In fact the whole con-
munity would continue TO pny the
unreasonable rate as long as the llti-
CATION lasted. This would occur with
every rate that was declared by the
Commission to be unreasonable and
would continue for years until gen
eral adjustment OF rates had been pet
fected, if such an era ever comes.
So consumers should protest, tina,
in this attempt to compel the rail-
roads to charge reasonable rates.
there should be nc p;ocrastinatiou. II
a rate is declared unreasonable by the
Interstate Commerce Commission
after hearing both sides. and a reason
able rate is proposed to take its place,
the new rate must stand until the
railroads conclusively show it is I'M
unjust and too low to allow a reason
able return for the money actually
invested and the court OF last resort
declared.
AS niue out of every ten voters ale
'nsumers and not shippers, it be-
hooves them to communicate with
their senators and congressman, either
in person or by letter, and ask them to
bear in mind the consumers interest
a. WOll dS kLC vi tbC .
and of the corporations. AS nearly
every congressman and one third OF
the Senrte are candidates for reelec-
ton next year the demand of the con
slmers will be needed, il they show
they are not in a mood to be tTifled
with.
The Republican Congressmeu, as
is we'll known, have received so many
favors from the railroads they are
very loath to deprive those corpora
tons of the Unreasonable profits they
b We SO long enjoy ed, but rather than
be beaten for reelection they will
give the Commission power to declare
what is reason; BILE rate a nd even 2
maj )rity of the Senate can be forced to
the side of the people rather than that
the Legislatures OF their state, should
select some other Who would be
more amenable 20 public opinion