Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-25
WESTERN Freight
RATES ARE LOWERED
jNrERSrArE COMMERCE coMMis-
SION GIVES DECISION AFFECT
ING COAST CHARGES.
VICTORY FOR PACIFIC COAST
CITIES WHICH STARTED SUIT
Decision Fixes Percentage Of Higher
Tariff That May Be Charged for In
tsrnsdiats Points-Rulins Will Help
Middle West Shippers - Former
Opinion Adhered To.


Opinion Adhered To.
Washington, July 25.-Decisions OF
far reaching Importance were an
nounced late yesterday by the inter-
state commerce commission. They al
feet directly all freight rates between
the Atlantic ocean and the Paciflc
ocean. Particularly, they affect the
rates in the territory lying between
Denver and Pacific coast points.
The rates to this inter-mountain
territory heretofore have been MADE
without any definite relation to the
water-competitive rates to the Paci1lc
coast. the extent Of Che discrimination:
being entirely optional with the car
riers. BY the opinions handed down
Monday the commission has attempted
10 arrive at a definite relation or the
rates to the non-competitive points as
compared with those Of the coast, ana
has laid down the extent to Whlch lhe
rates to interior points may exceed the
coast rates.
In all the cases decided the carriers
are given until Oct 10 to Tile tarlllS
with the commission constructed IN ac-
cordance with the views set forth IN the
opinions. The net result OF the decls-
ions will be to give lower rates on al
west-bound transcontinental trat1lc 10
cities in the inter Rocky mountain ter
ritory. TO all intents and purposes the
back-haul rates from Pacific coast
terminals to cities in the Rocky noun
tain territory are wiped out and the
service rendered by the carriers will be
paid by shippers substantially on a
strict Interpretation OF the long-and- :
short.f1aul provision of the existing
law.
Low Rates is Net Result.
The commission holds in the social
ed Reno case that traffic originating al
Chicago and in Chicago territory NOV
ing under comm odity rates may nave
rate per cent higher to intermedia
points than that imposed on tre1shl
originating in Chicago and Chlcasc
territory destined to the Paclfic coast
terimansl. From Buffalo-Pittsburg ter
ritory the rates may rise above those
demanded from the same points TO Ia
cific coast terminals to the extent OF La
per cent; while from New YORK ano
trunk line territory the rates charged
shall not exceed % per cent over facl-
fic coast terminal rates
land Short Haul Rules.
These are the first decisions an
nounced by the commission In which
definite principle in respect OF the long
and.short- haul provision is laid down
While the opinions fully recognize the
Influence Of water competltlon' 10
marked extent they draw a line upon
indiscriminate market competition.
The effect of the decisions will be to
notify the carriers that they Will De
allowed to meet water competition to
reasonable extent but that the location
of markets hereafter will be left more
"a the nlav of commercial causes than
"a tha will OF the traffic managers OF
railways.
The cases involved are those of the
c;+v of Spokane against the Northern
pacific Railway Company. known
nopularly as the Spokane rate case;
the Commercial Club OF Salt Lake City
against the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
To Railway Company and others; the
railroad commission Of Nevada against
the Southern Pacific Company and
others; and the Mario opa County Com
mercial Club against the Santa Fe
Prescott & Phoenix Railway Company
and other carriers.
Uphold Former Opinions.
Inasmuch as the cases generally
dove-tail into one another the commits
sion announces its decisions In two
opinions. In brief the commission takes
the view which it took in its opinions
of the same cases announced year
ago last June. At that time the COM
mission said 1t would make no order
respecting the rates which 1t suggested
might be put into effect until It has
had opportunity to determine from re-
ports made to 1t by the carriers Of the
probable effect OF the suggested rates.
Meantime, the carriers have submitted
to the commission their earnings under
the old rates and what would have been
their earnings under the rates pro-
nosea b. the commission These tahu-
lated statements have convinced the
commission that the rates determined
upon by the commission in its decisions
of June Z, 1910, generally fair and reas-
onablo.
The commission says that there is no
reason why those rates should not now
10 established.
"Since the PRONUNCIATION or that opin-
ion," the commission says, "the fourth
section (the long and short haul pro-
vision) has been amended. Inasmuch
as the gravamen Of the complaint OF
the city Of Spokane and to some extent
OF Salt Lake City was directed against
the violation of the fourth section, II
is necessary again to inquire whether
under the amended fourth section, the
S1I1 ape
entitled can now be granted.
One Contention Lost.
1.-THE complainants contend that the
proviso In the amended section, per-
mitting the commission to authorize In
particular instance the charging of a
higher rate at the intermediate point
is void as a delegation of legislative
authority; that it should be rejected and
the section applied by the commission
az tho 1t were an absolute long-and-