Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-04
J. ]. HILL MAKES A PLEA.
President Of the Great Northern
Appears Before the Senate
Committee on Commerce
HIT TO DISCRIMINATE
RIGHT
Value of tho Service Depends on tho
Density Of Traffic and That is WHAT
Makos tho Rate--Believes Roads
Should be Allowed to Make Own
Rates.

Should be Allowed to Make Own
Rates.
Washington. May 4.---James J. Hill.
president of the Great Northern rail-
road was before the senate committee
on interstate commerce. He said there
was only one safe basis of low rate
that could possibly be made, and that
was the low cost of producing the
transportation. The value of the serv-
traffic, and that makes the rate. Rates
vary with conditions. In making ratei
on his road, he said. they had to take
into consideration what the country
produces The railroad was charged
with the prosperity of every man who
lived on the road II that man worked.
Determinations were necessary, de-
clared Mr. Hill. When his road was
built he went to Washington state and
found that its greatest product was
lumber. There was n rate OF W cents
per hundred on lumber to the eastern
market. The lumber dealers said they
could ship at 65 cents. He knew that
they could not do II and he made y
rate of 40 cents, and was shipping
large quantities of lumber. This was
a discrimination against lumber on
the eastern end of the road. but In ten
years there would be no lumber pro Z.
t,, Int hoCAllSe
the cars going out with merchandise
brought loads back that these low rates
could be made Besides the merchan-
disc for the Pacific coast his road han
died freight for the orient. Large
quantities of flour were at one time
hauled from the twin cities to the or
lent. but the interstate commerce com
mission stopped 1t.
other Roads Got Benefit.
This statement produced fire OF
questions from members of the COM
mittee. and in reply Mr.. Hill explained
that the company was compelled to MS
It's thru rates with the commission.
This rate being made public, was cut
by the rival lines. which were not
compelled to make their rates public
His company, under the law. could not
change its rate for sixty days. ana
meanwhile the other lilfes took the
cargoes. If the ships of the COMPANY
did not carry pound OF freight ~
would make no difference with the div
idends.
Speaking Of the great tonnage OF tha
railroads Mr.. Hill warned the COM
mittee to be careful and not cripple
tho business of the country. NOT as
to ourselves" he added. because before
YOU got down to US there would be
great many corpses about the coun-
trv. He spoke OF the congestion o!
freight at eastern ports. and said Dus-
mess was going to the guif, altno snip
ming rates to Europe from gulf ports
were very much higher. Roaas eas'
OF Chicago would have to raise the.s !
rates in order to get means W pu1'o
extensive terminals.
Mr.. Hill said that while congress
was legislating for the SAFETY app,
ances for employees 1t might Proslae
greater safety for the public. He at
tributed 90 per cent OF the accioeh's
to non observance of rules.
He told of shipment of locomotives
from philadelphia to Yokohama by
his company at n rate equal 10 VIVA
another company charged for transpor-
ting locomotives 500 miles ..o.
"This is a case he remarked. TOT
tho interstate commerce commission 20
take I'm and Investigate. They wouia
ana somebody was charging TOO
much" ,,r
Commenting on the statement OF Mr.
mn that In twenty years there had
been a reduction of rates from Genus
to 76-10O ceuts per ton per mic, ohaii !
man Elkins asked what would happen
regarding rates in the next twenty
years.
"C.ive the roads fair treatment, re-
nlied Mr.. Hill, land in twenty years !
think the rate would come down 70 nan
a cent ton per mile.
Mr.. Hill said the ability OF the ram
roads to raise money for increasing
their equipment and for buildlns az
ditional lines would be destroyed py
taking away from them the power TO
make rates He criticised the terHihai
charges enforced below the harlem
river in New York, saying they were
greater than the rate from Buffalo 10
Harlem. He suggested that the inter-
state commerce commission might IN
vestigate these terminal charges.
Hill Grows Sarcastic.
"yvhy don't the commissioners take
IN that m2tter?" asked Chairman Ell
kins. -,
"They are too busy" replied Mr.. Hill.
"trying to get power to fix railroad
rates"
There was quite an interesting dls-
cussion between Mr.. Hill and Mr. Ell
kins about the competition of Cana
dian roads The latter asked what
ought to be done to meet the rates ana
rebates of the Canadian lines.
1--WE are willing to work that out
among ourselves" replied Mr. Hill.
.Before we are thru with them they
will cease cutting rates" He said that
some years ago the transcontinental
association paid the Canadian Pacific
road 100000 year to get out or Ger
tain business, because the road was
cutting rates from New York to San
Francisco. This arrangement lasted
only two years.
Replying to Senator Foraker, Hill
said that no interest would suffer If
export traffic with n-contiguous
countries was exempted from control
Of the interstate commerce regulations.
This statement was brought out by the
previous remark of Mr.. Hill that his
company had to withdraw its rates on
tl,1c c c