The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-16
RAILROADS UP TO OLD TRICKS.


A B. Stickney. president of the Chi
cago Great Western railway, has Gre
ated something of CONSERVATION and
surprise IN the railroad and shipping
world by his charges that railroads are
still giving secret rates and granting
rebates indirectly, to favored shippers.
Mr.. Stickney made his original state
ment to this effect in Seattle about a
month ago Shortly after it was pub
lished Mr.. Knapp. chairman of the
interstate commerce commission. wrote
him and asked him to present any facts
in his possession which would support
his charges. Portions Of this reply have
been made public recently. Mr.. Stick
ney did not present any specific facts
to substantiate his assertions. He said
that it is true that secret rates to ia
yored shippers as formerly pIacticed
have disappeared, practically, but he
insists that it is only the former meth
od'' of giving such rates which has dis
appeared. He says that many rates,
which are filed with the interstate COM
nierce commission and made public,
are so concealed in the verbiage Of the
huge number of railroad tariffs that are
filed, that only experts can detect them
and that these rates are really more
secret THAN the LO1IIlGE SoC1SI IdlCHs
These particular rates. Mr.. Stickney
says are passed over by the ordinary
shipper and are only ferreted out by the
experts employed by the big shippers.
He also says that the railroads are
generally indulging in the practice of
paying claims to large shippers for ov-
charges and loss and damage, on pre-
sentation, provided they do not amount
in the aggregate to more than a GER
tain percentage of the freight bills paid
by such shippers. This practice, as
Mr. Stickney points out, is nothing but
rebating Indirectly.
Because of Mr.. Stickney's wide ex-
perience in railroading it is reasonable
to assume that he knows whereof he
speaks in these respects. That being
the case a condition of affairs has de-
veloped again. or rather continued In
the railroad shipping industry, which
demands vigorous action by federal and
state authorities. Some way can and
should be found to prevent the rail-
roads from rebating indirectly and they
should be compelled to file tariffs which
will be Ineligible to every shipper and
which will not have rates tucked away
in them that will be or especial advan-
tage to the large shippers who have ex-
pertS that are clever enough TO ma
them. Mr.. Stickney thinks that much
could be gained by the adjustment of
commodity rates. so that there should
be only one rate of the classified sort.
These allegations of Mr.. Stickney do
rot hold the railroads up in a particu-
larly envlable light. In fact they APP
pear to be doing the very things which
brought them into such bad repute a
few years ago and which resulted in
the people demanding a rigorous regu-
lation of their affairs. One thing is
certain. Through such actions as these
the railroads are not moving in a pro-
per direction to secure that confidence
in their rectitude from the people which
they so much desire and which is so
essential for their well being. If the
people start on another Crusade"
against the railroads there is no telling
how far their wrath will carry them.