The Washington herald., 1907-06-16
LUMBER RATE APPROVED.
National Significance Attributed 10
Action of Interstate Commission.


From the New Orleans Tines Democrat.
The mandate Cf the tinted States SUI
prems Court. upholding the order Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission in the
matter Of the 2-cent increase on lumber
freights bv a number Of railroads serv-
ing the territory east Of the Mississippi
and south Of the Ohio rivers. was fled in
the United States Circuit Court here
This decision, which was rendered by the
nations highest tribunal on Nay q.
brings 70 a close the railroads four
years fight 20 maintain the lumber rate
. Increase. and is In some respects one OF
the most important that has been handed
down I'm years
Il will he remembered that the Increase
OF 2 cents per 100 pounds was added TO
. lumber rates IN the producing territory
east Of the Mississippi River to Ohio
River crossings early n 1913 The lumber
manufacturers at once organized to re-
sist its collection. The matter was at
length taken TO the Interstate Commerce
Commission By the Central Yellow Pine
Association. and that body, after exteu-
sive hearings. finally issued an order re-
quiring the roads 90 desist from further
maintaining the advance on or before
April I. le15. This order was ignored by
the carriers. and the commission began
suit before Judge Parlange. Of the United
States Circuit Court to enforce its order.
Every decision has since favored the con-
teutions Of the lumb0-me1 and the COM
mission. and the important case Travelled
upward on the carriers appeal until it
has finally been affirmed by the United
States Supreme Court A somewhat sini-
lar issue raised by tho Georgia lumber
men was also carried to victory As a
result the lumhermeu will not only be
relieved from the discriminatory advance.
but they viii I'm all probability recover
considerable sums already paid the rail-
roads under it The sums thus involved
viii reach well up into the millions. and
upon that score the decision is most
valuable To the great lumber industry Of
the South
Gut aside from the financial issues sf-
feciug the lumber interests in particular.
the decision assumes a much more i'm
portant aspect from the fact that il
strengthens the hands Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission I'M dealing with
discriminatory rates and abuses affecting
interstate transportation. The railroads.
I'm their long and obstinate fight were
playing for a double stake. The revenues
involved made the contest we'll worth
their while. but q decisive defeat Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission upon
the issues involved would have been Of
vastly greater benefit 90 them BY studi-
ously ignoring the order of the commis-
sion they forced that body to take the
initiative i'm protection Of its authority
and the defeat Of the commission would
have had a moral effect difficult 20 over
estimate. resulting in a considerable Inn
pairmeut not only OF the commissions
authority. but of its usefulness. Il is
altogether probable that the carriers were
fighting more for the moral effect than
the money that their success would save
to them, and for that reason the vindica-
ton Of the commissions authority, and
the enhancement Of its prestige thereby,
give the Supreme Courts ruling a ma
tiOnal significance and Importance that
transceuds its benefit 70 the lumber in
dustry Of the South, great as that un-
doubtedly is