The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-05-17

of the rates now fixed by competition
He quoted a recent interview OF Rep
resentative Stevens of Minnesota, one
of the members of the house commit
tee on interstate commerce, going 10
show, he said, that the substitution
of a system of inelaStic rates for the
rates determined by competition
would result In great injury to the in
Gastry in many sections OF the coun-
try. He said that the commission or
any political body that might be ere
ated would yield to the most clamor-
Gus demand, and that, as a result, the
rates between different localities
would be more inequitable than the
rates now fixed by competition between
these localities. In maintaining that
competitive conditions are still potent
in regulating rates he said:
1.-The attempt is made to make II
appear that the railroad rates are so
high that the shippers and the general
public can no longer stand eXtortion,
but must have relief from congress
Now, the simple incontroVertable fact
is that the railroad rates in this
i country are far cheaper than anywhere
else in the world These rates in gen
eral are onethird lower than those OF
Great Britain and France. and one
half lower than those of Germany,
where the railroads are owned and
operated by the government An ex-
animation of the rates in the past also
\ shows there has been an almost con-
tinuous tendency DOWNWARD. In 1870
the rates were three times what they
are now.
Want Equal Treatment.
CAS- under the continued working
of free competitive conditions rates
may be expected gradually TO decline
it remains for the advocates of the
, inelastic socialistic rates TO show why
| any change from competitive condi
lions is desirable, and whether social
] istic rate-making would insure lower
/ rates in the future. The complaints
coming from shippers against the
railroads are almost wholly complaints
of discrimination in favor of other
shippers. What the shippers want in
this country is impartial treatment
rather than arbitrary reduction or
rates. The principle of impartial
treatment of the public must be en-
forced. It might be wise when it is
found that a secret lower rate or re-
bate has been granted 10 any shipper
that such rate be made the open rate
for say one year, as though the rate
were part of the published classified
i ton.
Unjust determinations between 10
= calfties and kinds of traffic ought to
be susceptible to correction through
the application of the police powers
of the government, the same as unjust
determinations between individuals.
1 There is no valid reason for asserting
that one KIND of discrimination can be
/ corrected by punitive legislation, and
that another kind can only be reach
4 ed by the socialistic method of fixing
rates"
As to the tariff and reciprocity, Mr.
Parry said:
Tariff and Reciprocity.
ITO my mind there are some fea
lures in the present tariff situation
that opens the serious question the
wisdom Of the stand pat policy. The
4 foreign demand for our agricultural
products appears to be declining, and
the expectation of manufactured com
modities is not nearly so great as il
should be. How in the face Of unfa
!, yorable foreign tariffs we can materi
:. ally develop the market abroad Is
! difficult to see, unless through tht
adoption Of the more liberal tariff
) policy on our own part we secure com
? pensating concessions in the tariff
:, schedule OF those countries who's
: markets We seek.
: Reciprocity would be wiser cours'
7 than tariff revision / do not thinl
: 1.-THE situation calls for radical treat
2 ment, but rather for the adoption o
{ conservative policy looking more 4
4 the opening up than 70 the 'bottliII
E up Of our commerco