The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-09
QUICK ACTION OF
MUCH IMPORTANCE
Statement Given Out by Execu-
tive Committee of Railway
Business Association.
PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY
APPEAL FOR SETTLEMENT OF
FREIGHT RATE QUESTION.

New York, June s.-The general ex-
ecutive committee OF the Railway Bush
ness association. which within its MEM
,,essadp represents $500, 100000 OF in
group OF industries giving employment
to 100000 workingmen, and upon
which 100000 people depend for sup
statement addressed to Congress. to
the railroads, to the shippers and to
the public. as follows:
The question whether the railroads
are entitled TO a general advance in
freight rates is now before the public
The merits Of individual rates will
come before the Interstate commerce
commission During the period of un-
certainty as to whether rates filed are
reasonable or otherwise, there will be
a disturbance of Industrial conditions.
~ IS therefore Of the greatest impor-
lance that the way shall be cleared for
the speediest possible decision by the
commission To that end the Railway
BUSINESS association appeals:
First Appeal 20 Congress.
"First-To Congress. that the Presi-
dent Of the United States, having rec
commended a provision governing the
power OF the interstate commerce COM
mission over freight rate changes such
provisions be enacted forthwith to go
into effect upon its passage BY this
recommendation Of the President the
powers and duties Of the interstate
commerce commission are 20 be greatly
enlarged. and In the present emergency
IL is agreed that the approval of hun
dreds of thousands of freight rates
must be given by the commission be-
1T is deemed proper, therefore, to
urge that serious attention be given
the organization upon which the enor-
/ nous demand for Increased output is
| TO be made. Nothing could be more
| disastrous to the railroads, and all the
| 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 II
cannot do the work within a reasonable
Tine We urge that such approprta-
uon as may be found necessary may be
made to enable the commission to cope
! with the increased duties.
Duty of the Railways.
"Second-To the railways: That they
| facilitate the work OF the Commission
by having their schedules SO arranged
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 advance.
| Third-To the shipper: That they
! look upon the railways precisely as
Germ for whose solvency the men and
/ rot the government sfs not RESPONSE
bic a going concern must have an
4 adequate revenue. The present prob
lem involves not merely the amount
/ which the railway shall receive for
carrying a consignment, but its abil-
]
| alone the transportation efficiency
/ but general prosperity. We suggest
| to the heads of freight-paying enter
/ prises that they study this question al
/ first hand in the broadcast way. BY SC
| doing they may conclude that an ad-
| vance may be for their own best in
| terests.
What the Public should Do.
"Fourth-To the public: That they
| frankly concede to the railways the
| necessity for adequate revenue and
| await with patience and good nature
/ the findings of the commission as &c
/ the reasonableness of proposed rates
| The members of the Railway Bust
| emerged from a period of closed shops
/ idle men and disastrous losses due &c
cessation OF railway purchases. We
contemplate with grave anxiety the
/ possibility OF undue restriction OF rail-
| way revenues. Ours is not the plea OF
| a special interest whose prosperity we
| would purchase at the expense of the
| product Is not bought, the commerce
of the country cannot be efficiently
! carried: IL our men are wholly OF
partly off the payroll. the stoppage OF
their OUTLAWS communicates Itself tC
millions more who make or sell theil
Il necessities.
"As the basis of our belief IN the ne
cesstty Of increased revenues for the
| railroads, we submit.
Either the railroads stand alone
| among all other business enterprises
I'm their ability to meet universal in.
! creases in cost of labor and materia
without advancing the price of whaf
/ they have to sell. or else an advance
In rates is necessary"