The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-04

cx nerjment and fall than do nothing.
lJetails will be chccrfully given.
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,1,,,,,, P,+e Peo,,1atio,,j
hallway Ned.lte g NJ ~ va va i'4'i
Editor OF Tho Times Dispatch: sS
pf restrictive Legislation. which has pre-
Vented the railways from carrying out
their own methods Of maintaining uni-s
form rates, and has encouraged unre-s
stricted competition: and after twenty
years operation or the Interstate Com
merce law. with all the decisions OF tho
Inter- State Commerce. Commission made
under IL: We are stiil.Wlthous any dlstih ~.
rates; which goes to provo that circum-
stances and Conditions, which influence
rates. are too intricate and varable 10,
BY which 10 determine whether railway
rates are iust and reasonable otherwise.
With tho persistent reduction In rates
which has continued for many years
charge the railways with e1iortion, but
charges of DISCRIMINATION are so fire.
quent that the idea seems to prevail that
all determinations In rates are unjust
and should be prohibited BY law.
The classification ofTfreight with refer
ence to bulk, weight. value and other
conditions Is Itself a discrimination, and
classes of freight, or for the same com
modify, makes further discrimination with
reference to distance, competition be-
tween carriers. and between rival cities
relative cost Of l5transportation, the de-
lnand OF 4 commerce., and other ctcun-
etanccs and conditions.
Il The rapid developmen t, OF the South
would not have been possible without dis
elimination in rates whereby Southern
producers and Southern manufacturers
we're enabled to meet competition in.
markets OF this and other countries J. 4 81
=, hov
not necessarily been guiIty,ot unjust dis
crimination II SO adj sting their rates as
Ito promote the development OF the re-
and err countries, as can be easily. denl-g
onstrated. That such has becnI the prac-'
tice on English railroads Is attested by.
publication BY W. NJ. Acworth,s entitled
1.-THE Elements Of Railway Economics"
ITO take each class of freight by itself,
and measure tho reasonableHess of
charges by reference to tho cost Of lrans-
porting that particular class, though It
might seem. abstractedly just, would
neither be practicable for the carriers
NOR consistent with he;spubllc interest
The public interest IL best served when
hte rates are SO apportionedf as to en-
courage the large practicable exchange
of products between different sections Of
our country and with foreign Countries;
ana this can only be done by making
value an Important consideration, and
by placing upon tho higher classes OF
freight some share OF the burden that
service alone were considered. would fall
uponith Of less value. With this meth-
Cd Of arranging tariffs little fault is
found, and perhaps none at al by per-
standpoint Of public interest"
"a Two fundamental principles have been
settled by the United States Supreme
Court namely:
1ct hot ~ np In fr, Ia
mand that no moro be exacted from It by
pthe carrier than the services rendered arc
worth.
tile Ito ask q fair return on the value OF
that which 1t employs for the public
iconvenience:
Whether the rates are made by the
state or Interstate commission. these
requirements must be complied with, and
no unjust Discrimination or undue prefer
ence IN rates vii be eountenaneed BY the
be no discrimination of any sort would
destroy tho whole fabric OF the present
tariffs and seriously interfere with tho 4
d The real question at Issue seems to BIO
whether tho making OF Interstate rates
BY the railway corporations. created by
tho States under the restrictions Of law and
merce Commission, shall continue, or tho
national government shall take prac ticnl 4
control Of the State corporations in all
matters relating to Interstate commerce
nower to enforce such rates as may. seem
nronar to ! them in place OF those thcy4
may adiudge TO be unjust and lnreaaon-
ai,le. 49, n "A. q s'i l55 a I1l3 4 Ks
AS As It is now, rates are largely tho result
of conference and agreement between the
pa,ways ol ana eontact through ntegent
. "a tro ined tratio agents, Who keen nos.
cd CD as to the requirements of commerce n
n ,.,hn t sho,,IG Tnow how tho anricnlturai
i Mdu and DR. mining interests of each
santinn nan 'hnst be- DEVELOPED and the in.
teresta Of tho railways thereby promoted.
III tha rafn,making power is transferred