Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-21
URGED ON congress
Physical Valuation of Rail
ways Recommended.
BASIS FOR RATES NEEDED
Report of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
MORE RESPECT FOR LAW
Relating Believed to Be Decreasing.
Large Increase in Earnings.
Adoption of Safety Devices.

law regulating transportation companies
are contained in the twenty-third annual
report Of the interstate commerce COM
mission transmitted to Congress today.
Five of the suggestions made by the
special committee selected by President
Taft to draft changes in the interstate
commerce act are offered In the report.
Til commission as a body fayors the
plans proposed by that committee. but,
as a. matter Of courtesy. it has refrained
in its report from discussing the changes
in advance Of the special message on the
subject which President Taft has indi-
Gated he will send to Congress.
The commission expresses its conviction
that certain amendments to the present
law are necessary to enable it fully to
accomplish the purpose of Congress.
Briefly surr1ma rized. the proposed amend
ments are as follows:
Favors Physical Valuation.
That physical valuation be made OF
the interstate railroads of the country.
The commission points to the difficulty
experienced in certain cases, where It's
orders are attacked III court in meeting
the testimony as to physical value offered
by the carriers, and says that IL its
rates are to be defended some method
must be furnished by which a value can
be established which. shall be binding on
the courts and the commission.
The commission again suggests that It
be given power to prevent advances in
rates or changes in regulations or prac-
tees to the disadvantage OF the shipper.
pending an investigation into the reason
ableness of the proposed change. 1t Is
stated that where rate has been in ef-
and that there would be no hardship on
the carrier in giving the commission au-
thority to require continuance OF the
rate until opportunity had been AFFORDED
to investigate the proposed advance.
The authority Of the commission to es-
tablish joint rate and through route IS
limited to cases where no such route .ex-
| lists, and the commission recOmmends that
| this limitation be stricken out Of the law.
| so that 1t may establish through route
| wherever upon investigation it Is found
| that the public necessity and convenience
/ require such action. further recon.
mendation is to the effect that in certain
| instances the shipper be permitted to al
| fic 1t is further. requested that the law
| be so amended as to give, the commission
undoubted authority to enter a corrective
order as the result Of an investigation In
| stituted by the commission upon Its own
| motion.
The commission again calls to the at
| tentiOn Of Congress the increasing I'M
| portance. of ssme form OF federal control
| over railway capitalization. and expresses
the opinion that adequate legislation upon
| this subject is required by the interests
involved.
Increase in Railway Earnings.
The annual reports to the commission
| from the CARRIERS show that for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1908. the gross operat-
| ing revenues of all railroads in the Unit
ed States We're so,461, ,845. and the
operating Income derived by subtract
ing operating expenses and taxes) was
1855 Ais, 321 For 1900 the operating
revenue was $o,494. 1859. and the
an increase for 1909 OF S32. 394. o44 In gross
earnings and $50, J88, $50 in net earnings.
The average number of miles operated
| in 1908 was 22S. 1874. and in 1909. s3,O2
The large increase in net, as compared
with gross earnings,-is accounted. tor by
a reduction Of operating expenses in 1908
below those of 1908 of $50. ,9ss.
I, The report indicated that larger num-
Der Of formal complaints was filed with
the commissioner 1909 than in 1908. Dur
ling the last year 1907 formal proceedings
were instituted. ana during the same
period 7SS formal cases were disposed OF.
| Approximately. 1900 informal complaints.
of which about half involved informal
| reparation claims. were adjusted during
the year. Six hundred and one hearings
and investigat ions-an- average OF two tor
each working day-all involving alleged
violations Of the interstate commerce act.
were held at sessions Of the commission
| in Washington and In various cities OF
the country, at which 61,000 pages OF
testimony were taken.
/! rAuAr uiAla%inns nf law
Since December 1. 1908, thirty-f1ve in
dictments for criminal violations Of the
Interstate commerce law have been re-
| turned and forty-two prosecutions have
been concluded. Practically all of the
prosecutions were for some form of re-
/ bate or concessions. The. fines collected
/ under these indictments aggregated 1904,
233.S4. The opinion is expressed that
! violations of the law, such rebafing in
one form or in another, is decreasing.
| Some account Is given of the. proceed
ment Of the safety appliance law, and the
commission states that the. results in this
respect are gratifying. The number OF
men killed in coupling and uncouDling
cars for each 1000 employed was ) in
| 1893 and l in 1908. while the number OF
| injuries for each 1000 men employed IL,
this service was q in 1893 and Is in
| 1905
In that part of the report devoted to
statistics and accounts detailed figures re-
1909 are given, and the work Of the COM
mission in the formulation OF uniform
system of accounting is described. and
| satisfaction with the results obtained is
| expressed.
MAINE MONUMENT FUND.