Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-08-02
MEASURE HAS Them
ALL UP IN The AIR
New Rate Bill Is a Difficult Al.
fair to Put into Oper-
alton.
COMPLICATIONS GALORE
What the interstate Commerce Com.
mission Wants Is the Simplest
Observation-Disclosures OF Rates
involves Much.
COMPLICATIONS GALORE

Washington, July e7.-The manens
physical difficulties that VIII confront
railroads in changing rates AND classi-
1ications. under lhe new rate law. are
giving the horrors 10 railroad traffic
officers.
They have been assuring the Inter
state Commerce commission lately that
the new law will make ii almost in.pos-
sible to change rates at all. Studies of
section 6 Of the revised law seem to
justify the opinion which railroad men
are expressing. that Alter this act takes
effect, ana rates are once adjusted To II.
the national rate system viii be almost
iroaclad.
Tie railroad people have been fairly
clanoring Tor some positive rulings
IRON the commission as to what II IS
going to require undo This section of
the law. Tbs commission has declined
to bind itself. bat has advised carriers
i'll general in its tentative views. AS
q result. it is now considered very
doubtful if the companies will be able
by the time the law takes effect to
comply with these publicity require
lnents. An extension of time Will likely
be asked in the near future. Whether
it would be granted is uncertain. The
express companies asked more time for
'i'iiS iiS iA'S
not been granted.
A Striking Illustration.
The wonderful complications of the
rate system are not easily described.
A single Illustration, multiplied by 'he
millions OF rates IN force, may sussSlst
RADIO road which ships AN immense
freight of the Rocky Ford canteloupes
came to the commission to ask If his
road must publish its rates on these
vegetables to All points. ho.n ON l.s own
line n on ottef ROADS WIN "ni,i IL
has joint traffic arrangements III nap
pens that the entire freight IN inns ar
tic!c originates in a Very limited DIS
tirct. They are shipped To every NOOK
and corner OF The nation. ana CONT
rates are made very extensively among
roads handling them. To require That
the rate to every destination 70 whleh
joint rates are mace ne puoiis,cu ~,
posting at every station on the lines OF
the o%riginating company. would be, ii
is claimed, an immense imposition. But
10 add to this the requirement that
every road with which these Joint rates
are made must give the same rupilclty
"a All of its stations would geonetric-
aly increase the burden. Then. it is
noi narroittrd TO change a rate without
thirtv dnys' notice: and OF the change
thn same FUN notice must be published
49, az No .,faiNal rlie. 1t would be Il
~ Ecinal i'm rANEEthllllX- -. MAKE lI''ill'Ill
hhanaes Of rlt.s undcr such a require
n,nnt fo, .vnrv change announced
,,II I...o 10 h., nrhlishod nj al sta
ti,rs IN which II nnolica.
M,.. et,te Rates Separately.
..l,a.,,i, ,,,as ii, terminal
:. 1870 ,of,.; ~nration and re-
lat.a 81 r m mi,st he stated separate
lv. and Inc schedules must contain all
ri, ssitcations % freight. Either of the
great Considerations made in different
sections of the country is a big vol
ume: the schedule of rates on any mn
no,t.nt road is likewise Il big publica-
ton. They have usual been pun
lished separately. The rolds want 70
know, whether they must hereafter he
in the same volume. For convenience
this will probably not be insisted upon
hut they must he filed in the required
oublic manner, together, at all sta
lions
In making hange in rates. it has
hcen suggested that convenience coult
IN. secured if some genius would in
zen, a method by which a sheet coulo
n. removed from this printed schedult
nv classification book. and Il new one
inserted. as is done in some filing sys-
tems 1t would enable substitution o
a new publication for the old withou
DESTROYING the old schedule and alS'
without the necessity of keeping anu
examining an immense number of bul
letins, circulars and addenda. AL pres
emit, so numerous and inconsequentla
arc these circulars relating to change
in rates that the most skilled traffic
manager or rate clerk half the TIM
can't he sure what are the latest rate
In force: the shipper is ut the mere,
If 40 complicated system.
e;anlee+ system Wanted.