The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-31
new RATE LAW
IS now EFFECTIVE
Applies To All Railroads Doing An
interstate Business.
NO REBATES and DETERMINATIONS.
Its Enforcement in the Hands of the
Interstate Commerce Commission,
Whose Membership Has Been In
creased From Five to Seven Salaries
Have Been Raised.

New York Especially. = The new
Railroad Rate law, which applies to
all railroads doing an interstate bus
mess, went into effect at midnight
Monday. 1t will be enforced by the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
ACCORDING to the new law, the roads
were to have filed with the commits
sion by midnight all their tariffs and
charges, showing not only the full
cost of transportation from point to
point, but also what items go to the
making up of this cost. From Tues
day on there can be NO extras" but
the shipper is expected to be able to
obtain in advance final statement of
the charge he has to meet.
1t was stated Monday that in fact
not single company has been able
fully to comply with the provisions
of the law requiring them to have all
their schedules on file by midnight.
The schedule of switching charges
was the most difficult of completion,
and it is, said that no road has been
able to finish it in time to file as the
law directed.
Under the law every company
which fails to complete its schedules
might be fined, but it is understood
that the Interstate Commerce Com
mission will give additional time in
every case when a road has given
evidence of sincere intent to comply
with the law. To discuss this and
other points, committee represent
ing the big Eastern railroads will go
to Washington to meet the commits
sion. This conference will be at
tended by representatives of the an
thracite coal roads who are anxious
to obtain ruling from the COM
mission on that section of the law
which prohibits a railroad from car
rying from State to State any article
manufactured, mined or produced by
it except for its own use. This would
include COAL
1t is expected that shippers will
find themselves benefited by the pro-
vision which requires the railroads
to include all charges of whatsoever
nature in their quoted rates. Here
tofore shipper has had to figure for
himself on icing, refrigerator and
elevator charges, and the dozen or
more other incidentals, dickering
with the separate, companies which
had hand in transportation or care
of his shipment. Now the railroad
must do that, and the shipper meets
but one charge and deals with but
one concern. All the sources of side
charges are consolidated, and private
cars, sidetracks, spurs, = terminals
and elevators are made subject to
the law. 81
The new law also requires the rail-
roads to establish uniform system
of accounting, and to keep their
books open for inspection at all times
by the expert accountants of the COM
mission. This feature is expected to
go far toward abolishing the rebate
evil of the past. The railroad ac-
countants are now comforting in re-
gard to the uniform system of book
keeping, which however, will not &c
into effect until June / next year
In the meantime the commission has
put its own experts at work devising
a system which will be clear enough
to suit the commission.
Forces of clerks from all express
companies in the country have for
the last few days been engaged here
In the task of revising express rates
to comply with the provisions of the
Rate bill, but have been unable to
finish their task In time to file SEIZED
ules with the Interstate Commerce
Commission before the bill became
effective.