Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-16
STICKNEY ON NEW RATE LAW
Great Western President Gays IL Can Be
Enforced in Toto.
INTERSTATE COMMISSION RESPONSIBLE
II Il Fails In Its Duty
stickney says II VIII BE
Condemned by the
Public.

A. d. Stickney, president Of the Chicago
Great Western, has presented list Of ar
guments to- the Interstate Commerce COM
mission, showing the Importance of enfor-
cling the provisions OF the interstate COM
nerce law in respect to making and pub
fishing rates. Mr.. stickneys argument Is
that the present system of filing rates is
illegal. and that some scheme could be de-
vised whereby the rates could be pub
lished In a uniform way which layman
could understand, instead of having a
jumbled mess, which the rate clerk alone
OF the whole railroad system. not to men
ton the public, can make any head or tail
out of. Mr.. Stickney cites as an instance
book published by MT Stebbins In Des
Moines which upsets the assertions OF the
traffic managers that schedules cannot be
made and published in the manner the law
requires.
Against these assertions Of the traf1c
managers I make the most positive asser-
ton" says Mr.. stlckney, that schedules
meeting all the requirements of the law
can be made, because schedules of the clas-
sifed rates Of the western lines from such
commercial centers as Chicago and Mil
waukee. ST. Paul and Minneapolis and
Council Bluffs and Omaha to all western
stations. alphabetically arranged in one
book, in such form that merchants can. by
inspection. determine the rates, have been
already completed"
How They Were Manipulated.
Mr.. Stickney's argument shows how
schedules have been manipulated for the
benefit OF certain shippers and how they
will be in the future, and that the ma
jority OF these schedules are prepared es-
/ % Az IIn
| says:
at is my deliberate conviction that IL
the making OF such illegal schedules as are
designed to secure temporary tonnage to
the railway by the grossest determinations
in respect to rates were stopped by enfor-
cling the law in regard to schedule making
more than 90 per cent of the present
schedule making would be stopped
Mr.. Stickney maintains the whole remedy
| is In the strict enforcement of the inter-
state commerce law by the commission APP
pointed to enforce the law. He says:
"The law gives the commission ample
| and effective power to compel the making
| and publication of the schedules in accord
ance with the law which would prevent
and render physically impossible the dis
! elimination "a now practiced by manipu-
lating schedules"
Mr.. Stickney maintains the whole sche-
dule could be printed in book form like
the Official railway guide, and could be
made so all could understand He insists
1t is not in accordance with the law to
simply print one sheet when a change In
| tariff is made, but that the whole book
should be reprinted.
| Opinions of His Counsel.
Mr.. Stickney has appended the opinion
of his attorneys to his argument, and this
ends with this sentence:
III the Interstate Commerce commission
is desirous Of obeying the law 1t expects
the carriers to obey, it Is clearly Its duty
to prevent the filing of illegal schedules
supplements and amendments"
Mr. Stickney adds;
The new law is now in effect. The rail
way companies desire TO obey II. But owinf
to the impossibility of so many railwa!
companies coming to unanimous agree
ment upon the details of schedule making
the conipaniesA without the aid of tn,
commission, are unable to adopt form
which will prevent the manipulation Of thu
schedules. The responsibility rests with thu
deprives the Individual OF his natural RICH
to protect his equal privileges upon the ma
tons great highways and confers tn
power and duty Of protecting individ91a
longer can the commission plead want o
i power as a Justification for inaction, a.
the amended law gives ample means ant
clsed with intelligence and courage, will
confer the expected benefits upon the peo
pie. IL the commission performs Its dut!
J Its members will be rewarded with the re
spect of It's fellow-Inen. II II fails, the.
will merit and receive the contempt o
their fellow-citizens, and the law, insteat