Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-31
At Mercy Of Railroads.

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the longer the haul the less charge GER
mile per ton This is illustrated in
practice in the distance tariffs Of the
western states, and in the interstate
shipments from Kansas City to Chi
cago. which are less per ton mile than
from any other point between the two,
comparatively.
But when neither government au-
thority or competition is a factor the
shipper to the Chicago market suffers.
For instance, after you have crossed
the Iowa state line, the rate per ton
mile from Chicago, which has been
constantly declining, suddenly ceases
to go downward, and advances by
leaps and bounds. During the first
twenty five miles on Iowa soil it In
creases IL per cent.
AT Oneida Ia, 1t reaches the high
water marx, where the rate per ton
mile on cattle to Chicago is two and
half times greater than from Kan
sas City, on the one side, and Is AZ
per cent greater than from Galena,
ILL.,, on the other side. The haul from
Oneida, Ia, is fifty miles longer than
the haul from, Galena Junction, ILL.,,
and yet, the long haul is AZ per cent
greater per ton mile than the short
haul The average per ton mile from
this station Is about three times as
large as the average revenue on all
comm ODDITIES in Illinois; and 1t is over
two and half times the average on
the entire line OF the Great Wes-
tern"
You have already recognized the
general principle that a railroad cam
not charge more per hundred weight
for short haul than a long haul, UNI
der substantially similar conditions,
where the former Is entirely included
in the latter,
We ask you to go a step farther.
and recognize principle that has
been tacitly followed and in operation
in the state schedules of the corn belt
for the last twenty years Ia prin-
ciple that is an experiment no longer,
but has proven practical and success
full in actual experience; the princi-
pie that in similar territory under
substantially similar conditions, a
railroad cannot charge more per hun
dred weight mile for a long haul than
short haul. when the latter is en-
tirely included in the former.
Apply II to Interstate Rates.
The effect OF this principle is to
make schedule Of rates, graduated as
to distance as well as to weight II
IL one more rule that helps to bring
order out of chaos. 1t makes the rates
more uniform, and is based upon the
common sense reason that the longer
the haul under similar conditions, the
cost per mile does not increase, which
Is lust as true as the other doctrine,
that the longer the haul the cost per
hundred weight does not increase,
Complainant claims that the Iowa
stock shippers are entitled to have
rates uniform with those granted to
shippers in similar territory elsewhere,
and that it is unjust to prescribe rates
mat are too low in some places and
too high in others.
The extension Of the Illinois schedule
to interstate shipments would mean
the saving Of many thousands Of doll
lars every year to the farming inter-
ests Of this section OF the country.
It would secure equality and uniform 70 NJ
ity without equality and uniformity
the square deal does not exist. II
would destroy a host of absolutely IN
reas enable and unjust determinations
between different shipping points.
The towns of Illinois get lower
rate from Chicago than the Iowa
towns; and the Missouri towns get a
lower rate The Iowa-Kansas CITY
rates. the Illinois state rates, the Iowa
state rates and the Missouri state
rates. that have been in force Tor
many wears, are lower than the rates
in question.
It is claimed by the live stock men
that there is no competition IN rates
now and the iowa grower depehuih l
on the Chicago market is at the mercy
of the railroads The ton mileage sys-
TEN adopted by the Iowa commission 81
is urged S the basis for Interstate i've
stock rates. It is said that "The Iowa
shipper feels that, owing to the Pc
culiar sameness in territory ana cosy
Of construction and operation OF raul
roads in this particular section, ne IS
entitled to equality aud uniformity IN
his freight rates on the ton mileage
basis. He is entitled to the extension
of these distance tariffs beyond the
confines Of each state, between points
in iowa. Illinois and Missouri, a sys-
tenn Of rate making that has proved
pra ctical feasible and successful FOR
the past twenty years, as applied ana
enforced by state railroad commissions
to state shipments
THE experience Of many years has
demonstrated that these rates are rea-
sonable,'' says the complainant
1--WE ask the Interstate commerce
commission to extend the same bere-
fetal results over interstate shipments
in this section of the country, that the
state railroad commissioners have Sc
cured for their state traffic, during
many years. !.
Make Il Uniform.
''The eastern half Of Iowa is as
close to Chicago as the southern half
Of Illinois; and, practically the whole CT
Iowa is as close to Kansas City as the
southern portion OF Missouri. The
southeastern part Of Missouri is as far
from Kansas City as, northeastern
Iowa. q.
aThe three states of Iowa, Illinois,
and Missouri are in the heart Of the
richest corp belt in the United States.
And these three states have, had grad
uated state schedules on the ton mile
age basis, for rnany years. The ter
ri-ory included in these three states
is substantially the same kind with
the exception Of southern Missouril,
h<,;t0 IN tho #whoIa broad level prairie