The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-09
Members of Ra ilw ay
Business Association
Issue an Appeal.
AN EARNEST PLEA
TO ALL AFFECTED
Ask Congress to Make Sufficient
Appropriation for Work, Rail-
ways to Have Data in Shape
for Hearing, and People to
View Case Dispassion-
ately.

New York, June s.-The general
executive committee of the Railway
Business Association, which within its
membership represents ss0o,0oo,0oo OF
invested capital. which speaks for q
group OF industries giving employ
lnent to 100000 working men. and
upon which 100000 people depend
for support, met here to-day. and at
the close Of its session gave out u
statement in chief as follows. ad-
dressed to Congress. to the railways,
TO the shippers and TO the public:
THE question OF whether the rail-
roads are entitled TO a general ad-
vance in freight rates is now before
the public. The merits of Individual
rates will come before the Interstate
Commerce Commission. During the
period OF uncertainty as to whether
rates filed are reasonable or other
wise. there will be a disturbance of
Industrial conditions. 1t Is therefore
OF the greatest Importance that the
way shall be cleared for the spe-diest
possible decision By the commission.
10 that end the Railway Business As
sociation appeals.
Il. To Congress: That the President
Of the United States, having recon-
Intended a provision governing the
power of the Interstate Commerce
Commission over freight rate changes.
such provision be enacted forthwith
TO GO in effect on Its passage. BY
this recommenda ton of the President
the powers and duties of the Interstate
Commerce Commission are TO be great
ly enlarged, and in the present emer-
gency 1t Is decreed that the approval
of hundreds of thousands of freight
rates must be given by the commission
before effectuation. 1t Is deemed
proper, therefore, to urge that serious
attention be given the organization
upon which .'e immense demand for
increased output is to be made. Moth
ing could be more disastrous to, the
railroads and all the commerce and
Industry of our country than to stake
all that is proposed to be staked upon
the commission, only to find that with
Its organization 1t cannot do the work
within a reasonable time. We urge
that such appropriation as may be
found necessary be made to enable the
commission to cope with their in
creased duties.
Appeal to Railways.
so. To the railways. That they ia
cilitate the work of the commission by
having their schedules so arranged and
the reasons therefor so clearly set forth
as to require the least possible time
to comprehend their scope and bearing
and that the officials of the railways
acauaint the shippers more fully with
fraicyht advances.
"3. To the shippers: That they look
nnon the railways precisely as theJ
would look upon any other concern for
whose solvency the management, ano
not the government. is responsible a
going concern must have growing
revenue. The problem involves not
merely the amount which the railway
shall receive for carrying consisn-
ment. but it's ability to carry 1t at all
n embraces not alone the transporta'
ton efficiency, but general prosperity
we suggest to the heads of trelght'
waving enterprises that they study this
question at first hand in the oroades
way. BY so doing they may conciua'
that an advance may be for their oWi
best interests. ,,,,.
~. To the public: Tnat they iranht, nit'
.oncede to the railroads the necessary
| for ADEQUATE IcNC"oS -,
natience and good nature the nholns
~ the commission as 70 the reasohaole
ness of proposed rates.
Not Plea Of 'Interests.'
Tha members Of the Railway Busl
nass Association have but recentl!
amareed from period of closed shop:
the idle men and disastrous losse
due to cessation Of the railway pur
chases. we contemplate with gray
anxiety the possibility OF undue re
striction of railway revenues. Ours
not the plea OF special interes
| whose prosperity we would purchas
at the expense of other interests or
the general public. II our product is no
bought, the commerce of the countr
cannot be efficiently carried; IT on
men are wholly or partly off the pa
roll. the stoppage of their outlay
communicates itself to millions NOR
who make or sell them necessities.
"As the basis of our belief in tn
necessity of increased revenues TO
the railroads, we submit: /,
either the railroads stand alon
among all other business enterprise
in their ability to meet universal In
creases In cost of labor and materit
without advancing tho price of wha
they have to SELL or else an advanc
4 In rates is necessary"
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