The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-03

The threatened attitude OF the govern
ment toward railroad rate-making
through trunk line committees and asso-
Citations has not deferred the big rail-
roads OF the country IN their determine
ton to Increase freight tariffs
Practically every one Of the Eastern
trunk lines has filed with the Interstate
Commerce Commission a schedule of ad-
vances ranging from TO 20 per cent, and
covering both east and west bound COM
modify freight between New York and
Chicago. Similar increases have been filed
by the Chicago and Ohio River commit
tee. which includes twenty-foUr big rail-
roads. operating chiefly in Ohio and IN
diana.
Most OF these increases were filed with
the Interstate Commerce Commission
yesterday. The commission is buried up
TO its eyes in the food OF increases, and
admits that II can tell nothing def
mite about the situation at present. ex-
eept that there has been a general boost
ing OF rates.
Many Schedules Arrive.
The employees of the commission would
no sooner set one schedule opened and
filed away yesterday than another one
would bob up. and before the closing
hour had come the clerks were peering
over the stacks of schedules and the
thousands and thousands Of increases, be-
wildered and helpless
II seemed rather an impressive answer
on the part Of the railroads of the coun-
try to the governments Injunction and
dissolution proceedings against the West
ern trunk line committee.
The railroads that filed increased tariffs
yesterday embrace practically ali Of the
lines ia the Eastern Trunk Line Asso-
citation, in addition 10 the twenty-four
roads comprising the Chicago and Ohio
river committee. All told, forty or fifty
railroads Joined in the general upward
movement IN freight rates.
The increases fled by the Western
trunk line committee, which have been
held up by the Attorney Generals in
junction proceedings. lie in territory
west of the Mississippi River Thus,
with the Eastern trunk lines added, the
railroads of the entire country, with the
exception OF those in the Southeast and
Southwest have joined in the recent ad-
vances. About a year. ago railroads in
the Southeast and Southwest also raised
their freight rates. so that il may be
said now that the proposed increased
rates have been distributed over prac-
ticaily the entire United States.
No one in Washington attempts 10 esti-
mate the money value Of the increased
rates. but it will run into the hundreds
of millions of dollars. Shippers from the
Middle West have contended that the
increase levied upon them would yield
the railroads at least an additional
$3.50, 100000 a year.
Speculation over Attitude.
It is impossible TO say at this time just
what will be the Attorney Generals at
titude toward these new increases. II is
doubtful, however. If the administration
has any intention Of running amuck in
the matter Of bringing the Sherman anti
trust law 70 bear on ali increases Of
rates among certain groups OF carriers.
The President and the Attorney Cen
eral decided TO begin injunction and disso-
luton proceedings against the Western
Trunk Line committee because they be-
lieved its action was too fragrant TO come
even within the tolerance and liberal
views of the administration.
Roads Mighty Good Guessers.
What the Attorney General VIII want
to know is whether there was a formal
meeting and agreement among the Off
GERS of this committee as in the case
Of the Western Trunk Line committee
If there was, the Department of Justice
may move against them.
In the case Of the Eastern trunk lines
however, each railroad filed its own
schedule. There was nothing unusual IN
this. as II has never been the custom
Of the big roads Of the East 10 act in
the matter of filing rates through a sin
gle agent There was plenty of evidence
in the schedules, however, that the rail-
roads at least had been mighty good
guessers In regard to each others rates
All of the increases were practically
identical
The rates filed with the commission in
this latest batch will not go into effect
until the early part of July.
Before that time the administration
railroad bill, II IS expected. viii be on
the statute books That bill contains a
provision giving the Interstate Commerce
Commission authority 70 suspend any
increase In rates for eleven months. pend
Ing n investigation into their reasonable
ness, so that it may be at least matter
of a year before the new rates can go
into effect