Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-28
COMMERCE COMMISSION Be.
LIEvEs COMPANIES WILL NOT
APPEAL FROM DECISION.
LINES HAVE pRospEREp
UNDER THEIR OWN RATES
AZ Decision Did Not Call For Rsdue.
tien. Great Systems Have Little
Ground on Which TO Prosecute APP
peal-Wsatsr Roads Are Hit Hard.
est But Can't BE Helped.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Feb. 2S.-It Is regarded
commerce commission officers. that the
railroads will accept without appeal
the decision that they may not increase
their rates. under the tariffs filed last
summer and autumn.
One great system, the Pennsylvania,
notified the commission within few
hours of the announcement OF the de-
cision. that 1t would acquiesce in the
ruling without further contest.
The commission expects rhas within
few days this will be accepted as the
policy Of the roads generally.
A leading official of the commission
said:
There is nothing on which the roads
can base an appeal. and have no idea
that the case will 90 10 the court OF
commerce. The law and the strict adj
publications recently given by the SUI
preme court. leave the roads nothing
on which 10 carry the matter UP.
IF the commission had reduced any
rates, the situation would be different.
The roads might go to court on the
er,y was being taken without due pro-
cess. But no property is being taken
No construction can be given to the
decision which justiies such a con-
clusion The roads are not asked to
give up penny OF their present earn
inss.
Prespsrsd Under Old Rates.
The present rates will not be per-
,.,1ttnd - ia ra{ead IA all ThASa
rates have been established by the
railroads themselves In the past, when
they were perfectly FREQ 10 name what
ever charges they saw At For years
they operated and prospered under
these rates. They could have raised
them II they had needed the money.
Thy did not SEQ At to do 30 until the
proposal was advanced in congress to
pass q Law prohibiting them In future
from advancing rates without consent
Of the commission.
I'm the effort to make one general
increase before that measure should
become law, the railroads filed new
ta riffs showing advances. and the gov
eminent enioinsd the advances till the
new law had passed. giving tho COM
mission the authority which IL has now
exercised. We feel that the showing Il
complete. and that the decisions Of
Commissioners Pfouty and Lane cover
the entire ground. There - no 1usti-
!cation for the roads pressing the case
further. and they will not do 1t"
The effects Of the decisions are Sx-
pected to be 90 far-reaching that they
Will not be fully realized for . long
time. The whole attitude OF govern
nent and roads - now reversed. In
stead OF the roads making their rates,
they have system OF rates-the exist
ing one-prescribed for them. and may
increase these only on order OF the
commission. On the other hand, the
commission may on complaint and in
vestigat!on. or on its own motion II
deemed necessary, reduce rates at its
will-of course within the constitu-
tional restrictions.
Effect On Weaker Roads.
One Of the mos. important effects
will be on the weaker roads. One Off
cial said:
"The Lackawanna shed golden tears
have its own dividends showed up to
80 per cent II rates need be so high.
in order that the Erie might earn s per
Of the strong roads, east and west. be-
ing willing to raise their own rates in
order that the weaker roads. by ad-
vancirg their own at the same time,
might live.
But the commission has not taken
this view. It has decided in favor Of q
reasonable rate, and left the roads to
shift for themselves. Much stress was
laid on the case Of the Chicago Great
Western. a weak road whose traffic Is
small. II It got rates enough TO make
II profitable. Its competitors would en-
Joy Immense increases IN their rev.
enues, which they do not need and are
not entitled to. The outcome In such
cases will Inevitably b. the dismember-
ment Of such a road as the Great
Western and the distribution OF its
lines among the powerful competing
systems az they can best use the vari-
Gus divisions; OF else. the complete
control Of the Great Western BY some
big system to which II can be useful
That In Inevitable, and It Is what ought
to happen. in the public interest. The
weak roads can not be maintained as
independents without giving the strons
roads excessive earnings which the
public would have to pay"