Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-08-14
Madison. Aug. s


A cut of 20 to 20 per cent frcm the
freight rates on livestock in Wiscon-
sin was ordered by the state railroad
rate commission in a decision an
nounced yesterday The recently re-
signed commissioner, John Barnes,
acted Or this matter and signed the
decision, but it was not announced to
the public until yesterday.
Rates are reduced from almost
every point in the state to Milwaukee,
and the largest reductions are from
places in the western and northwest
ern parts of the state. The commiss-
ion found that rates from places near
Milwaukee and in the southern part
of the state were not particularly ex-
cessive or discriminate
The action of the commission was
primarily based upon formal com
plant filed more than a year ago by
Walter L. Houser of Mondoyi, thea
secretary of state, who also field Ike
the first formal complaint charging
excessive passenger rates. However,
before the commission had far a1Yanc-
ed in the investigation under this
proceeding, it was deemed best to
not limit the investigation to the
rates involved in the Houser com
plant, but take in the general sub
ject of livestock rates all over the
state.
Rank discrimination was found by
the commission in the rates charged
Wisconsin shippers as compared with
the rates charged the shippers of
livestock in Iowa and Illinois, and al
though the defendant railroad com
panies being the Omaha, Northwest
ern, Milwaukee and Wisconsin Cent
raj, made representations to the
effect that conditions were vastly diff
erel.t IN Wisconsin from what they
were in Illinois and Iowa, and that
the cost of the service was much
greater in Wisconsin and this was
warrant for the apparent higher rates,
the commission gave eacn representa-
ton full hearing and examination, and
finally concluded tina" different prin-
ciples" were adopted by the railroad
rate-makers in fixing and determin-
ing the charges to be assessed
again Wisconsin livestock than the
principles used to calculate the
charges on shipments in Iowa and
Illinois. Therefore the final conclu-
sion Of the commission, after a dis
cussion making this decision one of
the largest ever issued by the Wiscon-
sin commission, is that the rates
must be greatly reduced.
The action of the commission was
not only based upon the discrimina-
ton found to exist against Wisconsin
ia comparison with Iowa ind Illinois,
but was based more securely upon
the actual cost of tie service render
ed, upon the valve of the properties
invested, and making the calculation
with every doubt resolved in favor of
the corpor9 dons and using the liberal
interest :ate of ten per cent.
The commission explains that it
deemed 1t necessary to make a gener
al investigation OF the rates in Wis
consin and not contlne itself to the
rates specifically complained of by
Mr.. Houser-from Mondovi to Milwau-
kee-so that no mal-adjustment of
rates might result Extensive tables
are set forth in the decision, showing
uniformly higher rates in Wisconsin
than in either Illinois or Iowa for the
same kind of shipments and same
distances. These excuses of rates
for Wisconsin over those in Illinois
and Iowa were larger as the distances
from Milwaukee were greater In
some cases, usually from places near
Milwaukee the Wisconsin rates were
slightly lower than those in the other
two states compared Discussing
these tables the commission says:
While the tables explain them
selves few Illustrations of what
they show may be given. From FL
roy to Mcmillan there are II sta
lions The average rate on horses
from these stations to Milwaukee is
1866 cents per 100 pounds. The
average rate for Wisconsin for this
group is thus a great deal higher than
those for substantially like groups in
Gne 0t1er states. A similar SITUATION
is found for cattle hogs and sheep
for this group. What has been found
to be true for the group in question
is also true for every group in the
table. The comparisons for this road
tthe Omaha include the rates for
105 stations and are fairy represen.
tatiye of the situation.
The table for the Northwestern
road is still more comprehensive 1t
includes comparisons for 343 sta
tions in Wisconsin. The Illinois and
Iowa rates for short distances are
often higher than the Wisconsin
rates. The effect of this is
clearly shown in the first group in
the table. where for an average dis
lance of q miles Wisconsin has the
lowest average rate. For the second
group in order, or for the ? stations
located between Sheboygan and
PEBBLES. with an average distance &c
Milwaukee of ~ miles. this situation
is reversed except for shea5, the
rates on which are often 1Wer IN
Wisconsin than in the 9th two
states
The greater proportion Of til,
vestOck in Wisconsin a. raised ia