Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-01
CONFERENCE ON RATE BILL
Western Railroad Men Insist Compliance
with One Feature Imprsotioable.
RATE BOOK WOULD Be TOO CUMBERSOME
Also Assert Il would he a Physical
ImpOssibiIity to Compile it by
the Time Required Under
the Law.
CFrom a stan Correspondent1

the Law.
CFrom a Stan Correspondent)
WASHINGTON, July a.-tSpecial Tele-
gram. THE close, stuffy room in which
the Interstate Commerce commission holds
its meetings in Washington looked like a
section Of the Western Traffic association
today, due to the presence of the best
known railroad men Of the Mississippi and
Missouri valleys, who are here for the
purpose Of taking up with the commission
matters in relation to section of the new
railroad rate law, which goes into effect
August q, relating to tariffs.
The rooms was insufferably crowded with
representatives Of nearly all railroad lines
except the Eastern Trunk Line association
and New England association. They are to
be heard later. But south and southwest,
middle west and northwest and far west
were represented among them being: ]. g.
Stubbs, traffic director OF Hartman lines;
Darius Miller, vice president Of the Bur
hngton and in practical charge of the Hill
lines; X. r. Mccullough, vice president of
the Northwestern; j. II. Hiland, vice presi-
dent of the Milwaukee; w. Il. Biddle, vice
president OF the Rock Island and Frisco
combination: F. b. Bowes, freight traffic
manager of the Illinois Central; Judge
Dickinson of the same system; c. Halle
! traffic manager of the katy; f. L. Lo-
max, general passenger agent of the Union
Pacific; Elmer II. Wood, general freight
agent of the same system; II. A. Jones'
traffic manager of the Houston & Texas
Central.
RaiIrOaders Want a Ruling.
There were no speeches made, but in
formal talks with the commission, Mr..
Stubbs Mr.. Biddle and Mr.. Culp, third vice
president of the Southern taking the iniu-
atve in presenting the railroad side to the
operation of section six of the new law.
This section, il literally interpreted, provides
that all tariffs must be printed and promi-
nently displayed at every station on every
line Of railroad, and whether this means
both passenger and freight tariffs men who
operate the great railroad systems Of the
United States desire to have an opinion
| from the commission II the railroads are
compelled to hang in waiting rooms of sta
| tions both freight and passenger tariffs It
will not only prove a hardship on the part
of the public, but in practice be an impos-
sibillty, so they contend, for the reason
! that while many of the tariffs under ex-
! isting law are made UP on the basis of
! joint and proportionate rates. properly filed,
1 in many respects they would be disjointed
and require calculations covering i'm
| mense territory not only including the
| United States. but Canada and Mexico as
| well. They would also in the very nature
of things have largely to do with the export
| trade, and in consequence, these officials
contend that II the law be literally inter-
aretsdb the tariff books to heA9rinted would
require a Philadelphia lawyer to explain
! their meaning.
! Rate sheet Volumiuous.
! The representatives Of the railroads ex-
| plained that they desired to carry out the
law but they did not believe the commits
sion would compel them 10 do impossible
things II brought face to face with the sit
uation. 1t was stated in the course OF the
| hearing today that efforts were made to
| give each town along the line OF railroad
the same facilities as enjoyed by cities so
far as freight rates went, particularly. but
| that classihcations which determined
freight rates were of such a character that
II was we'll nigh impossible TO print a tariff
sheet or book that would cover any line of
railroad or system. But now that printed
tariff OF some kind must be gotten up, not
| only showing rates and classihcations. but
| the names Of all towns between which the
| railroad does business. It means reference
book covering thousands of points between
| which property is carried and passengers
| transported.
II is estimated that should the commits
sion decide upon literal Interpretation Of
| section six of the new rate law that II
will cost every trunk line from $250,O0O to
s5ONOOO TO prepare such a tarin schedule,
both freight and passenger, and every rail-
road IN like proportion And even then
should the commission decide to have these
| tariffs published the size OF the book and
the mass of information therein contained
would absolutely he useless 70 the general
public. so the railroads contend.
Another matter of more serious moment
was suggested today to the commission,
and that is that IT will require more rate
clerks than the railroads now have to get
out the book before the date fixed for the
law 10 go into effect. and as the very best
experts are required on this class OF work,
Il would not be at all surprising II the rail-
roads would iatly refuse to attempt the
impossible. The representatives OF the
Union Pacific and Burlington are a unit
in insisting that the law literally inter
preted, far the publication Of the
tariff is concerned, is an impossibility, and
the trainers of the law did not contemplate
the assembling OF such a vast amount of
IBuTeS DC 10 MAKE CudOS worse COntOunded.
Extension of Time Likely.
As II looks now the western representa-
tives will not Anish the presentation OF
their case before Thursday, and with the
mass Of matter presented today, which will
probably be supplemented tomorrow. II is
safe 10 guess that the commission will not
be ready to hand down its decision ana
formulate its rules before August Is, and
that an extension of time will be granted
the railroads in which to comply with the
commissions demands over and above the
date set for the law to become operative
Pension surgeon EXEMPT.
At the last session OF the Iowa leRisIa.
ture a law was passed prohibiting physi.
clans OF surgeons employed by railroads
taking positions under the federal govern.
ment and as a consequence a number NJ
pension examining surgeons resigned their
positions with the government. On inves.
tigation, however, II was found the Law
} did not apply to pension examining sur.
/ geons. and today w. H. Morse, on the rec.
/ ommendation OF Judge Connor, represents.
. tive Of the Tenth district. was reappoin,ed
i as pension examining surgeon at AIRona
, Iowa.
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