Omaha daily bee., 1910-06-04
ROADS FILE HIGHER TARIFFS
Lines in East and Middle West
Undaunted by Injunction.
WESTERN MANAGERS IN SESSION
Traffic Directors I'm Chicago ConsId-
erinE Problems of Case-IOwa
Commission Points Out
Injunction weakness.

WASHINGTON, June 3.-Undaunted by
the governments proceedings under the
Sherman antitrust act, by which a part
of the proposed increase of freight rates
in the territory west of the Mississippi
river was suspended by injunction, rail-
roads in the east and in the middle west
have filed with the Interstate Commerce
commission tariffs embodying increased
rates.
Attorney General Wickersham declines to
indicate what course he will pursue in be-
half OF the government, and the senate
just on the verge today of passing the ad-
nlinistration bill, hesitated, and finally
postponed action until tomorrow.
Tonight practically every railroad sys-
tenn from the Atlantic to the Pacific has
filed with the Interstate Commerce COM
mission the legal notification of proposed
increases in commodity rates. The In
creases range from three to thirty-one per
cent.
The day started off by the filing of
schedules Of increases by the New York
Central, the West Shore and the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western. Then
the official proposal of the roads travers-
ing the territory from Chicago and Mil
waukee to Indianapolis and Ohio river
to the commission During the afternoon
increased tariffs from the Atlantic sea-
board to Chicago, st. Paul and interme-
date points were fixed.
Tariffs East Revised.
The Baltimore and Ohio filed with the
commission a revised tariff on commodl-
ties rate from Chicago to the eastern
seaboard. Like the rest, schedules filed
h.y he Of ha in
creased tariffs from the central freight
association territory were filed in concert.
on the other hand. the eastern railroads
filed their revised tariffs individually.
The increases proposed by the roads In
the east and middle west range from to
81 per cent. Those from the seaboard to
the west vary from to 20 per sent. The
Baltimore and Ohio increase on rates from
Chicago to the seaboard averages about 10
per cent.
| The time set for the increase to go into
effect on the eastern roads was generally
July 5. or the roads in the middle west,
July 1 was the date fixed. Before the
revised tariffs began to pour into the
offices of the commission, Attorney Gen.
eral Wlckersham was receiving kilograms
from western shippers, asking him to
take action to have the injunction issued
by the federal court In Missouri extended
to other commodities, especially wood.
Replies were made that 1t is now too
late. 1t was explained that the govern
ment included in the bill such rates as had
been called to its attention and that the
failure Of other rates 10 be included mus
be laid at the door OF the shippers.
Course OF Action.
As to the course Of the government IL
regard to the railroads in the east and mid
die west, the attorney general was MOI
ready to talk. Immediate action is MOI
necessary, inasmuch as the rates are no
to go into effect for about a month.
Mr.. Wickersham said that no complaint:
had as yet been received by him from ship
pers In the east or middle west. Further
more. he pointed out that conditions unde
which the roads in the east and middl,
west had filed their rates might be entirel!
different from those governing the actiol
of the Western Traffic association. Their
WAS a feeling among officials OF the com