The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-04
Western Railroads and Illinois
Manufacturers Association
Make Public Their Views
as to the Freight Rates.
FORMER JUSTIFY THE
INCREASE ASKED
Latter Urges the Farmer and
All Others Interested Not to
Be Deceived, as There is No
Danger of a Panic Resulting,
GOVERNMENT IS WAITING

CHICAGO. June 3--SimuItaneouS ap-
peaIS 20 the people were made here
- today by the western railroads and
by the Illinois Manufacturers assOctn-
ton The railroads submitted their
brief 10 the man I'm the street and the
farmer limiting hard times II the rail-
roads are not permitted TO Increase
their freight rates. The maDutactur-
err tell the people not to he deceived
ns there T. no danger of panic, and laud
President Taft for his action In oh
tHinfna the Injunction prohibiting the
increase. ON behalf of the railroads,
SIasSon Thompson, head of the railroad
publicity bureau. put forward "tOur
reasons why railroad rates must he
raised"
According to Mr.. Thompson. the rail-
roads in the last two years are $780,
600. 600 behind on maintenance; they
paid $3.50. OOO.0O0 more annually for Ia
Dor: they paid s1OO,OOo,0OO more an
nuaIly for interest; they lost S25,0OO,-
600 annually on passenger traffic, with
the result that they are 31SO,OOO,0OO TO
the bad in two years
RAILWAY rates must be advanced be-
cause many companies face bankruptcy
II they are not said Mr.. Ihomps son
This is a result which the Injunction
granted at Hannibal. Mo, on a size
issue irrespective OF the justice OF the
advance. on ex parte representation,
without notice and without proper
weighing of the consequences. may eX-
pedite. but is powerless 10 enJoin why
this is so may be briefly stated in
terms that the man in the street IN
the workshop and on the farm can IN
derstand and appreciate. In the end IL
is this man in the street who must bear
the brunt Of any disaster that befalls
the American railway system =.
Then. for the benefit of the man IN
the street. Mr.. Thompson quotes rail-
road statistics as far back as 1881 70
prove the contention that the railroads
| face ruin unless rates are raised These
statistics will be printed in pamphlet
| form and widely distributed
Mr.. Thompson declares that the ship
pers have been grossly deceived, ana
| Charges the Associated shippers bureau
of Cincinnati with practicing the de-
gFor more than twenty years" de
clared Mr.. Thompson, the charge ma
Dexer beeu made seriously that aver
ace freight rates on American railway 5
were unreasonable per Sc. On 'ny IN
/ trarv. IL is the testimony OF al n a.,
! vestivators that they are the lowest III
the world n they have been reason
able for twenty years and the service
Is more costly now than ever, II Is eNl-
dent that any slight advance now can
not make them unreasonabie. -
The resolutions adopted by the Illi-
nois Manufacturers association charge
the officials Of certain railroads win
being in a concerted movement TO make
| the people believe that the shippers ano
| consumers are making unfair demands
and that another financial crisis is i'm
l pending.
! The manufacturers call upon The peo-
pie TO hold up the hands of the govern
/ ment and demand that the whole
! question Of the advance or the reduc-
/ ton OF freight rates shall at this time
| and at all future times be presented u
| the interstate commerce commission fol
/ final adjudication.
Washington. June 3.-The center OF
: interest in the matter of general in.
I crease of freight rates. which has kept
/ the department of justice and the i'm
| terstate commerce commission on the
! qui vive for the last few days. moved
| today to the capitol. where continued
the debate in the Senate on the rail-
road bill. The principal question dis
| Cussed in Washington today was that
| OF the probable effect of the bill in its
/ final form on the increases which are
/ proposed to take effect on or about
July I. The bill as Il left the House
and as It passed the Senate Is fixed
| 70 take effect sixty days after its en-
actment.
In this form It would exempt the
Continued On Page Two.)