The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-05-31
aRANIrE AND THE RAILROADS.
Dsfences Of Former IN Action Nov Pend
ing.


The value to New England industries
Of the interstate commerce commission
las court of appeal may perhaps be
illustrated by the findings 81 the com.
mission ID train 81 the hearings recent
/ lv accorded to tHe wholesale granite
dealers Although tile decision viii not
Be made until next October Commission.
+ er Charles a. pfoufy, himself 3 Yer.
montgr and familiar with the granite
business made Il evident that the com
mission win not Tack an Intelligent pre-.
4sentation uf the facts upon which ghe
( manufacturers Of Barre, Quincy West
I erlv and other centres Of the monumen-
tai trade have based their complaints.
When the Roosevelt proposals for rate
/ REGULATION were before the country one
Of the stock examples of the needless.
ness Of governmental interference was
] TIE henefcence of The railroads toward
/ Gle granite industry 81 New England.
/ 10 was assiduouslv represented that on.
/ " GA account 81 the very low rates at
which stone was hauled to every part
OF the country was it possible to ex-
change our rocky hillsides for gold The
complaint now lodged with the commits
sion BIZ the Wholesale Granite Dealers
association Is that under the so-called
southern classification monuments.
tombstonas gfavestones and similar Al
tieles take the first class rate, il they
are sent into the southern states BY a
manufacturer who is law-abiding to tile
extent Of obeying the regulation that
the real value 81 10 article shipped must
be declared. NomiHallY these eomnodi.
ties may 10 Ia carload lots at fourth class
rates or III smaller lots at third-class
rates. but only upon declaration that
their value. to which the carrier is liable,
does not exceed 81 per cubic foot. As no
monumental work upon which any Ia.
Dor whatsoever has been expended i
worth 10 little as this the wholesale
value running from So to $40 o cubic
foot the manufacturer has no recourse
but to pay q rate which between Boston
or Barre and any point Of tile far south
viii often exceed the value OF the monu-
mental work itself
1t was openly charged at the hearing
by representatives ct the granite dealers
and the transportation committee of the
Boston Chamber of Commerce that this
classification was established for the pun-
pose Of aiding the granite industries Of
the South. which. having a shorter haul.
would find the rates relatively less ex-
orbitant and would be gamers from the
unfair competition
1t appears that stoves. typewriters,
sewing machines grindstones, terra Gotta
ornaments and various other things
which are carried at fifth and sixth
class rates with unrestricted valuations,
net the roads a fer lower income than
that contributed By the eonsignments of
monumental trade TIE railroads, from
the figures cited appear to be over
taxing this industry, and from the con-
sumer's standpoint to be adding to the
cost 81 dying,
The defence set up BY attorneys repre-
sentine the Southern railway and the
southern classification committee lay
mainly in the liability Of monumental
works TO damage in transit a liability
which the complainants claim Is ia fact
very low AS the defence were not pre-
pared with figures on this point a see.
nnd hearing was ordered by Mr.. Proutv
to take place on June % When he an.
n0unced informally that ia his opinion
the present southern classification rates
are not so bad per Sc as the restricted
valuation. which makes i practically i'm.
possible for a conscientious View Eng
land manufacturer 10 reach southern
markets az all De left 81 not ia doubt
that the argument IN favor of maintain
ing fair competitive conditions 1T TINS
industry throughout the country viii Be
duly set forth Is the whole commission.
Boston Transcript.