Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-09
GREAT INTERESTS
ISSUE APPEAL IN
RR. RATE MATTER
Railway Business Association
Says Nations Prosperity Is
Dependent on Case
URGES ACTION BE PROMPT
Order Representing $800,000,-
900 Addresses Congress,
Roads, Shippers and People
ASSOCIATED Press1

NJ EW YORK, June S.-The general
executive committee of the Rail-
~ way Business association, which
within its membership represents $780,
900 of invested capital, and which
speaks for a group of industries giving
employment to 100000 men, and upon
which 100000 people depend for sup
port, met here today and gave out
statement, addressed to congress, to
the railroads, to the shippers and to
the public, as follows:
1.-The question as to whether the rail-
roads are entitled to a general advance
in rates is now before the public. The
merits of individual rates will come be-
fore the interstate commerce commits
sion. During the period of uncertainty
as to whether rates filed are reasonable,
there will be a disturbance of industrl-
al conditions. 1t is therefore of the
greatest Importance that the way shall
be cleared for the speediest possible de-
cision by the commission TO that end
the Railway Business association ap-
peals:
URGES NEED OF HASTE
ITO Congress-That the president of
the United States, having recommended
a provision governing the power of the
interstate commerce commission over
freight rate charges, such provision be
it's passage. BY this recommendation
of the president the power and duties
of the commission q e to be greatly
enlarged, and in the pk sent emergency
it is provided that the approval of
freight rates must be given by the COM
mission before effectuation. 1t is
deemed proper, therefore, to urge that
serious attention be given the organ
ization upon which the enormous de-
mand for increased output is to be
made. Nothing could be more d1saS-
trous to the railroads and all commerce
and industry of our country than to
stake all that is proposed to be staked
upon the commission, only to find that
with it's organization it cannot do the
work within a reasonable time. We
urge that such appropriation as may
| be found necessary be made to enable
| the commission to cope with the IN
creased duties.
"Second-To the railroads: That they
facilitate the work of the commission
by having their schedules so arranged
and the reasons therefor so clearly set
forth as TO require the least possible
time to comprehend their scope and
bearing, and that the officials of the
railways acquaint the shippers more
fully with the reasons for freight rate
advance
PROSPERITY INVOLVED
'Third-To the shipper? That tney
look upon the railways precisely as
they look upon any other concern Tor
whose solvency the men and not the
government is responsible. A going
concern must have an adequate reVe-
nue. The present problem involves not
merely the amount which the railways
shall receive for carrying a conslgn-
ment, but its ability to carry 1t at all.
1t embraces not alone the transporta-
hut
We suggest to the heads of freight pay
ing enterprises that they study this
question at first hand in the broadcast
way. BY so doing they may conclude
that an advance may be for their own
best interests.
"Fourth-To the public: That they
frankly concede to the railways the ne
cessity for adequate revenue and await
with patience the findings of the COM
mission as to the reasonableness of the
proposed rates.
Members of the Railway Business
association have but recently emerged
from a period of closed shops, idle men
and disastrous losses due to cessation
of railway purchases. We contemplate
with grave anxiety the possibility of
undue restriction of railway revenues.
Ours is not the plea of a special in
terest whose prosperity we would pur-
chase at the expense of the general
public. If our product is not bought
the commerce of the country cannot
be efficiently carried; if our men are
wholly or partially off the payroll, the
stoppage of their outlays communicates
itself to millions more who make or
sell their necessities
"As the basis for our belief in the
necessity of increased revenues for the
railroads we submit:
EITHER the railroads stand alone
among all other business enterprises in
their ability to meet universal increases
in cost of labor and material without
advancing the price of what they have
to sell, or else an advance in rates Is
necessary"