The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-02
Commission Ends Long Session
Over General Trunk Line
Advances Proposed.
RAILROAD SIDE FULLY
GIVEN BY OFFICIALS
Great Mass of Testimony and
Statistics in Favor of
increases.

CHICAGO. Nov REPRESENTATION Of
evidence in the rate hearing before the
interstate commerce commission was
concluded this afternoon. Arguments will
be heard by the commission at Washing
ton on December IA, and after due de-
liberation the commission Will announce
what II Is generally considered will be
the most important decision II has ever
given
The hearing was instigated at the in
stance OF shippers, who rose in protest
when western railroads announced that
rates on fifty different commodities would
be advanced. Opposition TO this became
general and the railroads agreed not to
put the new rates into effect until the
interstate commerce commission had con-
Quoted n hearing al which the shippers
could be heard as to the fairness OF the
proposed advances.
Hearings were held at New York and
Chicago. conducted al first by an ex-
aminer. but later. owing 10 the para
mount Importance of the case. Commits
sioners Clark and Lane assumed the
duty. 1t took the shippers only few
hours 10 introduce evidence. but an i'm
posing mass of statistics and testimony
went into the record for the railroads.
The shippers were represented b" a num-
ber OF attorneys who confined their ef
forts largely to attacking the railroad
evidence rather than to introducing orig
inaI testimony for themselves
Railway men admitted that the ad-
ties which formed the basis Of the hear
Ing was merely an entering wedge, the
ultimate purpose being to advance rates
all along the line. According to the
would be to place a tax OF S4o0 100000 on
the consumers.
Railroad Side of Case.
In a general way the argument pre-
sented by the railroads was that In
creased rates were necessary for the
l. Increased wages to employees
.. Increased cost Of maintenance and
operation
3. Public demand for Increased eff
cheney and expansion OF transportation
facilities.
The position taken by the shippers was
that the railroads were receiving a gem
erous return on their actual investment.
and among other things they sought TO
show on cross-esamination that the low
rate OF earnings shown in the statistics
presented was due more TO oyercapital-
ization than 10 low rates.
During the examination today. OF Stan
ley II. johnson, assistant freight traffic
manager OF the Rock Island road Com
missioner Lane asked some pointed oues-
tons:
II have found in my experience" he
said that railroads find very little diff
Guilty In raising rates without much JUS
tihcation. and at any time they see MT.
II there were no restraint placed on the
railroads, could not the roads advance
the rates without end?
'Ot course. If the railroads were ut
terly Indifferent to public opinion and
were not body OF fair minded mon,
then the rates might be raised end
lessly. but this would not be done;
as the railroads only ask fair prorit,
replied Mr.. Johnson.
Present Rate Too High.
is IL not a fact" asked Commissioner
Lane. that deep down in the mind OF
the traffic manager he knows that even
the present rate is too high?'
This brought "A laugh from the crowd.
during which time the Witness replied
In the negative.
In the course OF his testimony Mr.
yances in rates were made by the rail-
roads without agreement with other COM
petitors
III they did he added, ''it would mean
going out of business" Attorney Ellis.
representing the Chicago. Milwaukee e.
81 Paul, introduced tables showing the
effect which the proposed advances
and North Dakota. The tables showed
that the increased revenue on 1,634. $751;
500 pounds Of wheat. coarse grain, -four
and other mill products would amount TO
s246.6I5. His tables showed that of the
increases, which on all COM
modities he estimated at s56S,000 nearly
half would come out OF the farmers Of
the two Dakotas, Mr.. Ellis declared that
while railroad rates have been standing
still the farmer has been earning SS 30
more per acre from his farm. The road
he declared. is asking only an increase
OF 13 cents per acre for freight charges
on farm products.
That's not so bad" said the witness,
I'VE helped the farmer to get that $3.50
and for our share we ask only 13 cents"