The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-06-10


posted.
"S. That accounts, and statistics
shall be kept in accordance with certain
prescribed forms.
"Is there anything in those require.
ments that is unfair to any transporta.
tion company
"what difference does IL make to the
public whether the TRANSFORMATION is by
sea or landf
Are not the people of this Territory
entitled to be assured Of equal treat
ment between the Islands, where the
bulk of their TRANSFORMATION is done, as
well as between points on the several
islands. where the transportation is
comparatively smallf
Rate Regulation a National Policy,
"The matter of rate reputation is not
new proposition. 1t is in the air and
has been for the last fifteen years, and
has been of the greatest benefit to the
American people The great transporta.
tion companies of the United States,
together with the great transportation
producers of freight had such domi.
nance in transportation affairs that the
small man had no chance. The great
shippers forced rebates out of the rail
road companies, and the latter took all
the traffic would bear out of the smaller
shippers. This has been largely RENE
died by the interstate commerce act
and commission.
"The railroads were as afraid of the
act when it was proposed as the devil
is of holy water. They sent q lobby to
Washington to protest against it, but
it passed, and today there is not a rail.
road which would not protest against
any effort to repeal the law.
'The law has assured the public
square deal and has been equally help
full to the railroads.
1t has helped them in three ways:
81. By prohibiting passes, resulting
in a saving of upwards of twenty per
| cent.
''2. By preventing large shippers
from forcing rebates and special favors.
"3. By systematizing accounts and
statistics, enabling intelligent COMPARE
son.
"The effect upon the island railroads
has been the same as on the mainland,
and there is no reason to believe that
the effect would be any different on the
Inter-Island."
Law Does Not Affect Excursions.
1t has been stated that the law VIII
prevent special rates for excursions.
This is mistake said Mr.. ThurstOn.
The law specifically permits special
rate mileage tickets, Communication tick
cts and excursion tickets at different
rates from regular tickets.
! The only requirement in casa of
roundtrip excursions is that if the ex-
cursion is to be completed within three
days, notice of the rate must be posted
one day in advance. If it is to extend
for more than three days, but not to
exceed thirty days, three days notice
must be posted.
| Change of freight rates must be post
ed for thirty days before going into
effect, but the commission may permit
an earlier change for cause shown.
Secrecy Engenders Suspicion.
Another benefit of the act to both
the public and the transportation com
panies is that the rates are public, and
if they are too high there is a power
outside of the company to whom an ap-
peal lies to remedy the condition.
"Again, secrecy engenders suspicion.
People have come to me with charges
against the InterIsland company. Some
have investigated and found they
were not so. So long as their rates are
secret it engenders suspicion, and dis
satisfaction will exist among shippers
until the rates are made public.
"Another reason why the Inter-ls-
land should welcome the act; Rate
regulation is in the air. If L recollect
| -
which have, in addition, to national
commissions. The national commission
| is composed of experts. The national
regulations are enforced in a broad,
minded manner. The local commissions
are generally not experts and are sub
ject to local influences, and have acted
SO harshly that in three States railroad
building is practically suspended by
reason of the harassing rules of the
local regulations.
''The rate regulation ball has been
started rolling, and if national jurisdic
ton is not extended to Hawaii, sooner
or later we will have local commits
sion which will have jurisdiction over
both sea and land, which, if on a par
with some of our boards of supervisors,
1
win make our transportation compa-
MES sigh to be under Uncle Sam IS
wing .
"There is nothing in the law which
! have discovered which will prevent a
man with ffteen-ton sloop mailing
his rate to the commission at Wash.
ington to show at what rate he pro-
poses to carry freight. 1t is only when
he wants to change that rate he is
compelled to give notice.
Practically the only reason ad-
vanced against the proposed law is that
we object to congress enacting it.
elf the results are good, is it sound
to reject the good because we object
to the channel through which it comes
81 hope that this association will
not adopt the resolution now before
it, or some day it may regret its
action"
Mr.. McLean's address was as fol-
lows:
"Mr. Chairman and Members of the
Merchants Association of Honolulu
ffnha onplioafian of fha ;nkarofofo