Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-29
| Roosevelt and Interstate Commerce
Commission Old Not Endorse.
REPORTS 10 CONTRARY OtG|Eo
Much Misinformation Ahoat Regard
ing the Matter Of Increase in Rail
way Freight Enthusiastically
Sure There Viii be No Advance.


For several weeks persistent rum"rs
have been in circulation tina; III"
Interstate commerce commission and
the President W. approved 4 plan
of the railways Of IN" country gen
orally 20 advance freight rates.
These rumors hay" no foundation
in fact No such approval has bee n
given either by IN" President or by
tn. commission. Neither the Pr"si-
dent nor the commission has the pow
or TO give Snch approval. If ;he rail
ways want 10 increaSc rates they may
do SO. under the law. on their own
initiative OF course. such rates rs
they make are subject to review by
the Interstate cOmm"rc" commission
If they arc fCnnd. by III" commission,
to be. unreasonable AMI unjust. :h"N
will be ordered tn be reduced. This
action hy the commission may |" tax
en- of its own volitiOn or ON III" com
plant of shippers.
Commissioner Judsen C. Cl"m' hts
said day or two ago that u lot Of
transformation was ahOat regarding
the matter of inCr"as" of rates.
1T is not within the province of
the commission" said he. ''to incraSc
railroad rates. ard it cannot reduC"
them without Just cause shown in 4
formal hearing hrfOr" III" commission.
The railways of the country. doing an
Interstate business are permitted to
make their own rates. They simply
file their :atcS with tho commission
and are not required to consult the
commission respecting their CStah-
lishmcnt or alteration. The commits
sion has no power 10 prevent tn" OK
action of specific rate until Il hear,
ing shall have been held as to tn"
rcasonabeness and justice of tn"
rate.
1T would be gross breach of Off
cial duty for the commission to give
its approval in advance to any pro-
nOScd increase Of rates. Nothing
could be further from the hands Of
the members of the commission. II
an advance be made, and the matter
approach its consideration entirely I'M
embarrassed by 4 previous commit
ment on the subject"
1t is pretty well understood now
that no concerted action will be TAX
en- by the interstatae carriers Of the
country to increase rates on freight
for good many months. at least.
Mos. of the railways. through their
general officers. are opposed 10 an in
crease at present. because they be
lieye that business conditions VIII
improve in the next six months. thus
doing away with any apparent NJ ces-
sitv for III" increase.
1t is pointed ont. too. that an in
crease in rates would net he of so
much material advantage to the roads
as might lie imagined. An increaS"
of such n per cent, as would be prac-
ticahIe would not amount 10 so much
as the loss of business in the last
eight months has amounted to am!
wCuld not enable the railroads to r.
cOup themselves for the increase OF
wages made n little over n year ago,
In the opinion Of most "f the opcr-
atinc officials OF railroads il will b"
necessary in order to save some OF
the roads from Insolvency. to make 4
reduct ion in wages: hut il IL reason
ably certain that that situation viii
not have to he met for good many
mont hs-rcrnaps year. A r"huc-
titn Of wages will b. the last resort ~
the roads. for they realize fully tina.
such action is 'ikeIr 10 prccipitate 4
serious labor disturbance throughout
the country.