New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-18
LONG 4ND SHORT H4EL-

We have received from IA Newark
reader of The Tribune a letter request
ing us TO explain just what the long and
short haul provision of the interstate
commerce bill means and why the Presi-
dent and his supporters in Congress are
opposed 10 IL. We shall answer the lat
ter question first. Undoubtedly the Presi-
dent and his supporters in Congress are
opposed 10 any long and short haul
clause which would compel railroads to
charge for the transportation of freight
and passengers exclusively on the mile
age basis. Mileage charges ignore the
advantages possessed by communities
which are natural centres of railroad
competition. They ignore the existence
OF cheaper transportation facilities by
water and the necessity Of an equaliza-
ton OF through rates TO competitive
points without reference 10 the mileage
covered by the competitors 4 revolution
i'll transportation conditions which would
destroy all competition on through bust
ness is naturally not contemplated with
approval by the administration or by the
We do not think. however that either
the administration or the Republican
ma jority in either house is opposed Ia
the modification in the law regarding
long and short haul charges which is
proposed in the amendment adopted last
Friday by the Senate The present inter.
state commerce law forbids common
,.yfo. aIo
transportation OF passengers or of like
kinds Of property for a shorter than for
longer distance over the So fl5E. route
in the same direction. or TO raarge any
greater compensation on q through route
than the aggregate of the local rates.
But it also provides tina the transporta-
ton referred 10 shall be under subsian-
italy similar circumstances and CON
'iiitiens." If the circumstances and con-
ditions are dlssimilar-the isslmilarftv
arising from The existence in the one
case Of competing lines of Transportation
and their non-cxisteDce in the other case
the railroads may alIege such Unequal
lily as a justification for making lower
charges for the longer haul than for Tie
shorter. Persons or communities feeling
themselves Disseminated against must
under the present law take action TO
prove 10 the Interstate Commerce Com
mission that the conditions under which
transportation occurs are substantially
similar and that the charges are there
fore discriminatory.
Under the law as amended by the Sen
ate the qualifying phrase under sub
''stantialy similar circumstances and
conditions is stricken out OF that part
ol the law which forbids greater charges
for shorter than for longer hauis. and all
such charges are declared unlawful. But
by proviso added the Interstate Com
merce Commission is clothed with
power to ascertain and decide whether
the conditions Of n longer haul MAY be
dissimilar from the conditions OF n
shorter haul, and, il they are, TO permit
common carriers TO make the smaller
charges for the longer haul forced upon
them by the necessity of meeting ran
road or water competition. The burden
Of showing that the shorter haul rate
are moi discriminatory is to be put upon
the railroads, whereas hitherto The bur
den of showing that they were discrlm-
inator! has had 10 be assigned by indi-