The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-23
CLERKS or THE CLERKS.
Criticism o. me work % the interstate
CoInmerre CammisalOn.

Criticism o. me Wofh o. me lnteretnte
Commerce Commisaion.
To rHK EDITOR or THE sUN-SW The
editorial article The Fourth Department
Of the Federal Government In The SUN q
June n clearly states the matter when
says that many cases which have come be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Commission
have been handled by examiners Who are
sometimes young men Of ineNperience. that
these examiners sometimes write the deci-
aions. and II IL feared that with the crowd Of
business which will now come upon the
commission more cases will b. referred 70
the examiners than before. Il can be o..
sumed that the examiner In some Eases
will refer matters n their clerks. and thess
clerks will again refer the matters 10 their
clerks. and 80 a large part o. the work q
the commission viii BE- done and judgments
prepared by the clerks Of the clerks k1ps-
Renee tells Us that where there IL en- over.
crowd OF business q subordinate makes 10
the papers and the superior has 70 accept
them for lack OF time.
BY what authority does the lnterttsis
Commerce Commission rive iudGmsnta
through q single Commissioner? Il there
anything In the law empowering Il 70 d
thisg We read Opinion by Mr. So and So
Many traiic men who have been acquainted
with the case for years and spent a great
deal Of time on IL and given IL the benefit
Of all their eCpef,'nce are sometimes 80
aside by the judgment Of one Commissioner
one mans opinion against five or stx ezpe-
rienced men. | always understood thu. he
Interstate Commerce Commission was 70
decide questions ~ a body, the entire ssvea
Commissioners % sit upon every case. Poe
sibly am In error.
The hue and cry that has reosntly been
made relative 70 an increase In freight rates
seems 10 me 10 come entirely from the dealer
or 20 between The manufacturers Ia
general seem TO have made little refn0n-
strance. because they know a. men o. ai-
fairs that the money will come back 70 tho
people In the shape Of improvements.
per cent. OF our railroads being only slngs
tracked. The greatest noise IL being made
By the 90 between. The farmer who has
potatoes for sale does not deal direct vifh
the consumer The go betweens ave me
farmer q price and make a price 10 the coz
sumner, and n the railroads were 70 decrease
their rates the farmer Would get no more
money and the prioe 10 the consumer would
not be affected the difference would 30 70
the 20 betw een. Fluctuations In the pricea
Of commodities in most cases are greater
than the volume Of tho total freight rates.
/ think IL can bs fairly shid. relative 70
present high prices. that production has hOt
been much Of a factor 10 their Increase
transportation none: but distribution mas.
the 90 between playing q large part 0etNeea
the producer and the consumer
Statistics should he made 40 % 70 ~
amount Of railroad securities nov owned ~
the insurance companies. banks and sa''
inEs banks Every man who has an iu--f-
anos policy 90 money IN = savings oanh
b Indirectly a railroad owner and will %.
plsh to seq his interests Impaired ka.roa-
interests are vast and the prosperity - 10
railroads h reflected 10 that % Tie n-'''A
and therefore decisions should be rerar'e'
b. experienced minds " hich can Tfa-' .-'
neutrality-suspicious. OF oil factor iel-..- 10
create national wealth and prosperl''
NEw HoRk. June p, siDL i.A.A