New-York tribune., 1908-07-15
RAISE RATES; CUT PAY
ruzT is THE CHOICE.
..,r;tration Board Suggested Nan
,facturers to Fight Increase.

-be recent correspondence between the
.s.c.prers Association and Vice President
Msh - the New York Central Railroad the con-
S'Ov between shippers and railroads in regard
trcN --onosed 10 per cent increase in freight
to % =. the trunk line roads has smmered down
rA''s .,es+ion of whether the roads should in
10 heir depleted revenues at the expense of
oFe o'- .,s,orners or at that of their employees Mr.
the has said that while the railroad employees
BIZ country are not receiving high wages
ID = +bose paid in other branches of industry or
-esent high cost Of living considered,
-. ~ rates in America lower than in any
- country. and have been constantly reduced.
s. the prioes Of commodities have been ad-
s,e The shippers say that the railroads
- 5s-e 10 lower wages because they are
go Of the unions, and their latest charge is
- she railroad authorities have been insncere
.A.,- assertions that there has been a general
,,verins Of freight rates in the last few years.
NOT OPPOSED TO COMMISSION
-,ssr the law the Interstate Commerce Com
.ton Is powerless to pass the question until
lonosed horizontal increase becomes effective,
- ;s made which Will not be until October /.
- s.s been suggested that in the mean time a
-;ssion similar 10 the anthracite coal strike
-.Seion Of so2 he appointed by the govern
-, 70 settle the differences Mr.. Brown says
- Nev York Central would not he averse 10 the
oin+-oent Of such a commission either before
ef,f,e- the increase goes into effect No propo-
t,ted bv either side
since the Hepburn rate law was passed. two
.rs ago shippers say. hundreds Of cases of
.-eiebt rate increases may be found the
a-ss and the transportation charges on such
-,-oodjtfes as groceries. canned goods. drugs.
,ber and building materials condensed milk.
ocbinery- -four. coffee and sugar to be in
.-sased in the near future. AS example. they
Mini out that and after August 16. if New
YORK shipper intends send consignment Of
cav AoYr 10 Brunswick Ga he Will turn to the
-.i-osd classification list and find that flour in
barrels is listed under F The new schedule shows
tbat the rate on Class 2 has been increased from
Ess cents barrel to 5sl4 cents.
INCREASED RATE TERRITORY.
orbcr instances Of the increase Of rates indi-
rsred in the case Of the Illinois Central. the Louis
,5rA & Nashville the Atlantic Coast Line and other
sn,tbern roads on canned goods and -four in sacks
from Cincinnati, Louisville Memphis and other
Ohio River points cities in Georgia. Alabama
tennessee and Florida This territory. shippers
sar in reality includes the territory in which the
p-oposed 70 per cent increase will apply, if it be
comes effective.
On August J. 1907 according TO the shippers. all
ne railroads operating north Of the Ohio and Po-
tornae rivers and Of the Mississippi the terri
.7rv affected by the proposed increase of 10 per
csnt) advanced the minimum carload weight on
practically all commodities shipped from $4,000 10
sgN pounds. and that May y all rail and lake
lines out of New York established new rates on all
commodities St. Paul. but left out various in
isrmedate points that previously benefited by the
sane through rates causing shippers to pay the
through rate 10 Chicago Milwaukee, plus the
lscal rate 10 these intermediate points. In numer-
eYs Instances in recent years they say. the rail-
roads have also increased freight rates on commod-
flies not n increasing the class rate, but by
taking an article out Of ore class and putting it in
higher class
SAYS BROWN IS MISTAKEN.
Douglas Dallam. secretary and treasurer OF the
National Wholesale Drygoods Association, says
that president Brown is mistaken when he
s2ys thar the - per cent increase in freight rates
-c-ls distribute itself minute way among CON
s1asrs Ia the drygoods business. he says. the in
crease would ho paid directly 10y the jobbers. who
would IND il the work Of years to shift the bur
de- 10 Tie general public.
He asks Is # the part OF wisdom TO curtail
further The working ability Of the distributors OF
nerclardise-the people who. in a large way, ere
positive that the association will fight the in
crease 10 the last ditch meeting OF the executive
committee VIII be held at the Oriental Hotel Man
haitian Beach next week.
". s Armstrong, president of the New York
Credit Mems Association, and member Of the
Board % Trades committee transportation,
says greater financial and political damage will be
done by ''wrongfuIy raising freight rates and
Erongfully maintaining wages.