The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-31
WESTERN SHIPPERS FIGHTING
INCREASED RATES.

All ullNSudl bptcbdClt WAS NlbucSncu
at the office of Attorney General
Wickersham Monday afternoon when
that official received protests from a
large and influential aggregation of
Middle Western shippers against the
action of the railroads in deciding to
increase rates heavily I'm what Is
known as Western Trunk Line Com
mittee territory. Not only was there
formidable array of shippers present,
but also many members of Congress,
including several Senators, from the
region affected. This region includes
Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Mime
sofa, Iowa, and Nebraska.
The railroad have gwen notices of
large increases of rates in the territory
referred to, taking effect June l. Ship
pers are alarmed and business interests
stirred up. The effects viii work
numerous hardships, to say nothing of
the increased toll exacted of the pub
lie. In some cases business houses have
made contracts Cor a long time ahead
on the basis of the old rates, and are
now confronted with the prospect of
carrying out these contracts at a loss.
Many phases of this action of the
railroads are worth study and con
sideration. The Attorney General Is
asked to invoke the Sherman law
against them, on the ground of con-
spiracy in restraint of trade. Evidence
is presented which the shippers believe
sustains the charge of conspiracy. That
the roads are acting in concert is ap-
parent and can hardly beO disputed. If
the increases now proposed by the rail
roads were the first made in a long
period that would be one thing. But
the shippers assert that since 1906, the
year the Hepburn amendments to the
interstate commerce law became effec-
tive, the settled policy Of the rail
roads in Western Trunk Line territory
has been to advance every rate that it
has been found possible to advance
And it il declared that the tariffs now
fled are not even the climax but will
be followed by still other advances.
The railroads are making these in
creases on the plea of high wages and
increased cost OF operation and main
tenanee. But the shippers assert, with
a strong show of being able to prove it,
that the freight rate increases are far
out of proportion to the increases in
wages and operation cost.
Before the Attorney General, the
delegation which made the complaint
declared the burden imposed on the
manufacturers, producers, and con
sumers had become too great and that
the last advances must be resisted as
matter Of self-preservation-
While the time allowed to enjoin the
rates from going into effect is much
shorter than it should have been, the
Department of Justice owes it to the
public to 60 irto this matter. Freight
rates are a vitrI element in the cost
of living and when these rates 90 up
on a long list of commodities, as in
this case, every home is affected, as
well as the manufacturer, the producer,
and the business man. 1t is charged
there Is a vast conspiracy afoot to
bull the price of railroad stocks by
forcing freight rates upward. If this
| is true, the facts should be known and
the conspiracy crushed, and more than
| that it should be made unhealthy for
( the men who are responsible for it,
The railroad bill is yet pending in Con
gress. It is not too late to strengthen
it in some particulars where it is weak
and leave no question as TO the
adequacy of the power of the Inter
state Commerce Commission to deal
effectively with rate increases. The
matter Is the more important because
it is clear that higher freights are to
be exaeted not merely of Western
Trunk Line Committee territory, but
of New England and other parts of the
United States.