The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-15

NNNAcIOu
mission, just received In Spokane. He
added:
"The people OF Ogden. Utah, appear
TO have the same grievance as our
shippers and merchants pointed out
in their complaint In which Frank H
McCune. rate expert produced tables
showing determinations In practically
the entire commodity list and rates
to Spokane and those TO coast and
Puget Sound points and the amount
of excess that is paid by the city Of
Spokane as compared with the other
cities Just mentioned.
Tables were also offered In connec.
ton with Mr.. McCune's testimony
| showing discrimination In class rates
and discrimination In less than car
load lots. and that no shipment can be
made TO Spokane in less than carload
lots and then shipped anywhere from
| Spokane. as against rates to the cities
above mentioned. The railroads did
not attack these schedules nor did
they try to upset the testimony.
TT is apparent that the commission
considered the loss In earnings to the
| Northern Pacific and Great Northern
territory TO terminal or coast rates,
| and also considered the amount OF
loss TO those companies by giving to
Spokane and surrounding country ter
minal rates and the territory east OF
Spokane terminal or lesser rates And
| II seems to me clear that the commits
sion Will, either upon a petition or
upon a new complaint submitted upon
the evidence In the pending case. re-
quire the commodity rates to be ad
| justed upon tho same basis as the
commodity rates are fixed in the opin-
ion now filed. The opinion says:
"'While the complaint attacks gen.
orally all commodity rates to Seattle.
which are less than those upon the
same TO Spokane, anly 80 OF these
rates are specifically referred TO. No
testimony was taken as to any ar
| ticles except these. and In the view
which the commission has taken Of its
authority under the statute. We can
only flx specific rates upon these ar
| ticles which have been made the sub
ject of specific complaint, although
we must consider what our probable
! action would be IL required to pass
upon the remainder of these COM
modify rates, and its probable effect
The evidence with reference TO the
|, 50 articles referred TO was the same
| evidence and was not In any way diff
! ferent or of any other character than
the evidence relating to all the other
commodities. There was no evidence
directed to these 80 commodities sing
ly or alone nor In any way except in
connection with all the other commod-
| tiles. 1t is apparent, however. from
the quotation just made that the com
| mission has, OF its own accord, con-
cluded to be upon the safe side and
| mentioned In the petition. 1t seems to
me that commission has held that
| practically all other commodities must
be reduced The commission makes
use Of these words:
ct has been assumed that other
| commodities must receive the same
treatment as Is accorded to these and
that the reductions at Spokane must
be followed by corresponding reduc-
tions at other points
1T will be necessary TO watch and
keep informed so far as practicable
with any proposed tariff which the
| railroads may attempt to file In COM
! pliance with the order Of the COM
mission; and also any proceeding In
court whereby the rates established
| by the commission shall in any wise
be affected or proceeded against. In
fact, 1t seems TO me desirable to take
waiting game. 1t behooves the people
of this city and the surrounding coun-
try to be alert and constantly insist
ing upon the fruits of their victory.
THE petition attacked all class
rates and all commodity rates which
were OF are In excess of coast rates.
II WAS urged that upon almost all In
terstate traffic the rates charged to
Spokane were equal to the rates
charged to the cities 'of Seattle, Ia
coma and Portland plus an arbitrary
rate back from these points. 1t then
| alleged that all rates In excess Of coast
rates were intrinsically unreasonable
and excessive, and prayed that the
rates from east of Spokane be fixed
by the commission and that In no in.
stance should they be fixed greater
than or in excess of coast rates.
"The list given In the petition was
stated to be merely illustrative and
before the petition was filed the com
mission announced that it would take
notice Of the tariffs on file and that
they could be referred to in the peti.
ton, and this was done.
THE commission Is an administra.
tive as well as quasi judicial body
and they were asked for suggestions
| T., hn - h.