The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-17
General Congdon Declares 1t Is
Impossible to Secure Fair
Rate Board.
STATE r. R. COMMISSION
MEMBER FIGHTS PLANS
Senate Committee on Municipal
Corporations Grants Public
Hearing on Measures.
Especial to the Evening star.l

\
study the matter the more convinced
l. am that | know nothing about the
railroad business. No man or body OF
men can be found proving ability to
adjust railroad rates"
So said General Joseph w. Congdon
of Paterson, president of the State
Railroad Commission, who before the
Senate committee on municipal cor
porations, which is having a hearing
on the Colby, Gebhardt and Robbins
public utilities commission bills, made
a long argument against the establish
men of a utilities commission or the
yesting of rate-making powers in any
commission.
1T would be impossible" he said, Ito
ind men who would be competent to
judge what would be just and reason
able rates for the shipping of freight"
state shouldn't Interfere.
THE State should not interfere be-
tween the railroad and the shipper,
but should let them make every agree
inent that is satisfactory TO both par
ties.
IF there is to be any power to regu-
late rates it should be limited and a
commission should not interfere unless
a shipper ann to it and said he could
not reach an agreement with the rail-
road and was being charged excessive.
Then the commission should
suggest a compromise"
Then you do not believe in the mi
tial rate making power being conferred
upon "a commission" General Congdon
was asked. ~.
II, as shipper OF silk, would be glad
to avoid such a body at every time if
could como together with the rail-
road company and reach a satisfactory
agreement"
Fights Rate Clause.
General Congdon, in attempting TO
a strong argument against the
clause, made clear the ne
for such a provision.
He said his firm ships about s5,000,-
BOO worth of silk year and the
railroads refused to take the risk of
carrying it at freight rates. They
would not be responsible for loss.
When the silk manufacturers insisted
that under the law they must accept
silk as freight, the railroads charged a
prohibitive price of four times the first
rate. or nearly twice what it cost
by express.
Silk was, shipped by express and as
is $3.50, 900, 600 worth shipped each
year by the 200 members of the silk
association, the extra charge amounted
to an enormous sum.
Qujzzd by senator.
The silk manufacturers finally
an agreement with The rail-
'oads by which they would receive silk
1t first-class freight rates but world
,niy be liable for .one-flfth Of the Yalne
the. goods in case OF loss. General
gongdon said. the working agreement
between tho silk manufacturers and
he railroads was perfectly satisfac-
-ory and he would not like to sec It
disturbed.
If the Colby Utilities bill became a
law, he explained, such agreements
not be entered into and no corn,
nor carrier would be relieved OF re-
sponsibility for full value in case of
loss of property in transit.
Perhaps you lose sight of the fact,
General" said Senator Gebhardt, that
4 utilities commission would adjust any
unreasonable charge and that ther.
the large shipper but the small
shipper as we'll would be fully pro-
"Who could say to a railroad what
be a reasonable rate? Who
would say that four times the first