The sun., 1910-06-10
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The Railroad BilI In conference.
The rai'road bill that has jus, been
sent 70 conference shows that Govern
mental control Of the railroads NJ this
country il advancing At RAPID rate,
Four wears ago the question was
whether the Interstate Commerce Com
mission should be- emuoWered to annul
rate in case % complaint and In pre-
srribe a rate to take ~ place Now tho
commission Is 10 be empowered to eN-
anime any rate and any classification or
practice in connection herewith. not only
upon complaint but al any time and at its
own discretion to Omodiiy rate classltca-
ton OF practice advances IN rate'are not
% take effect until they have been found
reasonable by the commission. which
NAV take eleven months in rearhng a
decision. such authority approaches
that exercised by Ministers Of Public
Works in continental Europe and the
Board Of Trade in England
In these countries II has been found 50
difiouh 10 advance a rate after il has
been lowered that the railroads are de-
prived Of incentive TO develop traffic
through the application Of experimental
rates, q practice that has characterized
the railroads Of the United States
throughout the growth Of their trafiC.
The extension Of the authority of the
commission over the rates oi this Coun-
try has been attended with q diminu-
ton in their elasticity, and It is predicted
thar the new measure will bring about
such ngidity as obtains in England and
France.
The rates that the commission has
heretofore been empowered 10 prescribe
are maximum rates. measure in the
new hill a. II goes to conference author
lies the prescription n minimum rate
IN case the commission determines that
q railroad is lowering rates for the pur-
pose ~ driving out water composition.
Another measure compcls rail rate To
b. maintsined at least N per cent.
higher than a water rate. That these
measures Il enacted will enhance the
tendency toward rgiditv il obvious, a.
Il also the fact that The craft On rivers
and canals cannot Withstand competi-
tion Of the railroads unless they receive
fuTteer support than that ALREADY ex-
tended by the Government, which pro-
yides their right N way and maintains
n free of cost 10 them, whereas the rail-
rnads are obliged n build and to main
tain their right of way out II their cap
isal and their earnings. Here again We
are approaching the practice oi Ger
many. France and Belgium. where the
trafic Of the waterways would dwindle,
a. IL has in thus country, were il not thar
the railways are prevented from com
psting with them on equal terms. The
bill, moreover deprives the commission
Of any authority over rates that apply
entirely by water. leaving the boats in
this country, as in Europe, free TO charge
what they please when they please.
That IL. water craft are permitted 10
make different charges TO different
shippers, 10 give rebates, n cut rates
without notice. and 10 indulge in all the
other determinations which have been
prohibited 70 the railroads.
The debates upon this measure in tho
Congress have taken on an aspect
familiar enough in the legislative assem-
blies Of Continental Europe. where dele
eafes argue in behalf of rates for the
benefit Of their particular district and
against rates which although beneficial
N the commerce. n the country would
initiate against the immediate interests
81 their immediate constituents. Of
such are the Arguments of the repre-
scntatives of the middle West against
the p-rssnt long and short haul status
and the arguments ~ the representa-
tive, ~ Jne Pacific coast in support Of II,
II has long been predicted that under
or extending paternalism a point would
b. reached where railroad rates would
hscoms 4 matter of political discussion
and th"lr adjustment by body of politi-
al Hpppln'"es 'raught with great dan
ser A. thi- -esslon n Congress Sen
Hiors and REPRESENTATIVES who denounoe
The '"rn h"'au-e they think il undnlv
iavon 'h' Pact denounce the rate struc-