The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-19
RAILROAD NEWS.
Has the Administration Law
Raised or Lowered Rates2
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Unable to Say.
HARD TO ASCERTAIN.
Would Take 1000 Clerks Six
Months to Find Out.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.
HARD TO ASCERTAIN.

The rate law, so-called, on which
the Roosevelt administration prides
itself. went into effect August %,
1905. The Interstate Commerce COM
mission does not know whether there
has been a net increase or decrease
OF rates since that time, and says that
it would take 1000 clerks six months
to answer the question.
Paragraph three of section of the
rate law provides that no change shall
be made in the rates by any common
carrier except after thirty days no
tice to the commission and to the
public. Obeying this, the railroads
regularly file their tariff schedules,
but do not indicate whether the
changes are reductions or advances.
Commissioner Clark said the COM
mission did not regard it as manda-
tory on the railroads to show whether
q new tariff fled with the commits
sion made advances or decreases. But
he said later:
I'VE have considered some plans
for ascertaining just the informa-
ton you desire, but have not found
one yet that is practicable. We hope
20 solve this question when we have
the tariffs from the railroads in such
form that they mean something to
person of average intelligence"
Commissioner Clark referred then
to advance sheets of the commits
sion'S report in which reference was
made to the feverish competition of
railroads for traffic and the tricks re-
sorted to, such as issuing tariff "ex-
piring with this shipment" and other
devices in use before the passage of
the rate law. The report continued:
As necessary outcome of such
practices the official files of tariffs
were very voluminous and contained
an endless number of contradictions
and conflicts. To bring order out of
this condition and at the same time
have all the carriers conducting
transportation to the utmost extent
of their overtaxed facilities, was an
important, q delicate and a large I'M
dsrtakng.
This work was approached by the
formation, after exhaustive confer
ence with traffic officials of carriers,
of code of regulations governing the
construction of tariffs which was
promulgated to become effective May
1, 1907, and June 1, 1907, to freights
and passenger tariffs respectively.
But the commissioner was asked,
returning to the first subject, what
value has tariff filed with the COM
mission under the law? Does it in no
way. show whether rates have ad-
vanced or been reduced?''
NO" he said. I'VE have the
previous tariff, Of course, and could
lind the net result by comparison.
No, we do not do this. We have not
the men nor the time. We received
for the eleven months ending Novem-
Der 80 last, 100000 tariff sheets show
ing changes, IN addition to 400, 900
tariffs concurring in those of joint
lines To ascertain from these
whether rates have been lowered or
raised would take the time of 1000
men six months.
''The tariff of a railroad is not. as
I understand it, fled with the COM
mission for approval or disapproval,
but as an evidence of the fact that
1t has gone into effect. Besides. 1 do
not think that the point of interest to
the shipper or to thes man who pays
the freight Is whether the new tariff
raises or lowers the rate on a certain
commodity, but whether he is getting
tho same rate as his competitor"
TN that case he can take any ad-
vance in rates out of the question:
Commissioner Clark did not an
swer.
Under the present law any railroad
may change its rates upon thirty days
notice. The new rate remains in
effect, even If a shipper complains to
the commission, until the commits
sion has acted This necessarily
takes months, at times