Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-05-23
R.R. RATES TO ADVANCE
First Increase Scheduled to
Take Effect on July
First.

IN commercial circles, particularly in
the East and Middle West, was caused
by the announcement early in the
month of a proposed increase in freight
rates amounting in the aggregate, it
Is estimate, to approximately 500.
600, 600 annually. This announcement
was given official publication by the
roads interested, which are those in the
"ofiicial classification territory, " as it
is known, including all territory east
of the Mississippi and north of the
Ohio river to the Atlantic seaboard.
and is scheduled to take effect on July
l and August /.
On July there is to be advance
of 2 to 10 cents per 100 pounds on
"class" rates. as follows:
First class from rs to 85 cents; sec
ond class from 65 to 74c; third class
from SOC to SIC; fourth class from 35c
to 40c; fifth from 30c to 35c, and sixth
class from 25c to 27c. On August
all but four of the commodity rates
will be advanced an average of 40
cents per ton.
: While the announcement of these
startling increases comes with full au-
thority, it is generally considered that
the proposition is at tentative one. 1t
is likely that railroad managers foresaw
and counted on the storm of protest
and the efforts for a modification of
their decision that Immediately result
ed. Commercial organization in the
territory affected quickly got together.
and on May 18th their representatives
met in Chicago to consider ways of
combating the proposed move. Sta
tistics were introduced to show what
the advances would mean to the gener-
al public
1.-The railroads propose to tax every
man, woman and child in the country
81. rs head" says statement of the
Illinois Manufacturers association,
which called the conference.
"That is just why the Illinois Man
ufacturers association has called the
conference on railroad rates. The in
crease contemplated will raise the
present gross freight revenue Of the
roads in the official classification terri
tory from approximately 81 900. 900, 900
to 81, 400, 900, 900.
"There are 80, 900, 900 persons in the
country; so each one will be called
upon to contribute 81. rs per annum to
Golfers of the railroads. This is an
average of &c. 80 for each family, or
almost twice as much as the average
family pays in taxes and about So more
than the average contribution to re-
ligious purposes. 1t would pay the
average mans life insurance for six
months, buy food for his family for
over ten days.
If the railroads are losing money
so are the shippers, and 80 are the
working men who are out of work or
on short time. What we propose is
that this conference will result in rous-
ing the public so that the railroads
will be forced to abandon their selfish
policy of attempting to shift the bur-
den of hard times onto the shoulders of
the public. The railroads shared boun-
tifully in the prosperity of the last ten
years. Let them now pay their share
of the nation reduced income. -
A unique statement, which no doubt
accurately represents the railroads at
titude in the matter, was made at the
conference by w. C. Brown. vice pres
ident of the New York Central lines
'If the business interests of the ma
tion." says Mr.. Brown, "shall. after
mature consideration, say the railroad
rates shall not be advanced, doubt if
it can be done. but it should be under
stood clearly. definitely and beyond all
question of doubt, that in saying this
they say just as clearly and definitely
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