Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-05
A REMARKABLE TARIFF
EFFORTS OF STATE COMMISSIONS
TO DEFEAT CLASSIFICATION
81 IMPORTANT.
WIN FIRST ROUND IN
IMPORTANT CONTROVERSY
Proposed Rates Would Have Increased
Revenues Of Railroads Between $780,
100000 and $4o,ooo,ooo-Thorns
Heads Committee to Present Case at
Final Hearing.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Feb. 5.-Second only to
the big fight Of last year to prevent a
general increase in freight rates all
over the United States, the appeal that
! Clifford Thorne and his associates on
eleven state commissions have made to
prevent going into effect without in
v~estigation Of a new western CLASH
icarion' for freight is the most i'm
portant action ever brought before the
interstate commission.
Mr.. Thorne has returned from the
preliminary hearing in Chicago before
a special examiner, and is preparing to
carry to Washington the matter of the
! application of the eleven commissions
to have the classification order held
up for 120 days in order TO allow for
time for full investigation into all
schedules.
The preliminary hearing in Chicago
brought out the fact that the classified
ton or tariff, known as classification
No. 81, fled By J. F. Hoffman as agent
for 907 railroads, was a remarkable
tariff. The board Of suspension OF the
interstate commerce commission had
decided practically to adopt it. only
reserving a few specific items for ex-
! animation. The commissioners of the
eleven states, representing approEi-
| mately twenty-five million of the
thirty-four million people directly af-
fected. ask the suspension Of the tar
if. One Of the gentlemen present at
the hearing estimated that if the tar
if had gone into effect it would have
increased the Of the railroads
! between $50 600 900 and $4,000, 600.
Tho-ne Chairman Of Committee.
The committee chosen in Chicago for
the eleven states consists of Clifford
Thorne as chairman: Messrs. Halford
| and Ericsson, of the Wisconsin commits
sion: Judge Ira B. Mills. chairman of
the Minnesota commission: P. W.
Daugherty, attorney for the South Da-
kota commission, and George Hen
shaw, OF the Oklahoma commission
The states joining are Iowa, Illinois,
Minnesota. Wisconsin, Missouri, Kan
sas. Nebraska. North Dakota. Okla
homa, South Dakota and Texas.
The tariff complained Of affected be-
! tween 1900 and LOO items or classes
OF freight, each Il making a change
as t6'rates for Chicago. st. Louis, Kan
sas City. Denver and 10000 cities and
towns in the Mississippi valley and
west to the mountains.
The main contention is that a system
thai will permit the adoption Of such
a classification, making such extensive
changes In the freight tariff. without
investigation or review by any body,
and practically without opportunity on
the part Of the interested persons to
have a hearing, is radically wrong.
In the application for an extension Of
time before the tariff goes into effect,
so as to permit of investigation. Mr..
Thorne stated that due diligence had
been observed but It is a physical i'm
possibility for any commission to look
into a tariff affecting literally millions
of rates and which took six months
time to prepare, and do it in thirty
days. This is perhaps one of the most
~stupendous examples of organized bus
mess we have in America" he said.
Many people have become r%econciled
to the necessity for such united action
vn tH.c rc-. cs cur railroads But all
act, 1t becomes Of paramount import
dllCe lldl l1lS1 ltApi SlHIl NC NiOSSlS
scrutinized by the people
Three Ways to Advance Rates.
Mr.. Thorne pointed out that there
anything-frst, increase the rate itself;
second, change the classification Of the
articles: third, change some rule af-
fecting it.
From a brief preliminary examina-
| tior ~ ~ raw cIa cciG M ~ on iSc,aIr Iy
the committee representing western
railroads." he said, I'VE find many facts
which lead irresistibly to the conclu-
sion that the railroads have determined
to increase the freight tax in his part
of the country. Last year they failed
in their effort to advance rates. Some
facts would indicate that they propose
to accomplish the same result under a
Many millions Of dollars are involved.
We ask the commission to weigh well
| the facts that we shall present"
Some illustrations.
Mr.. Thorne presented a number OF
concrete illustrations Of how the change
in classification increased the rates.
For instance, on siios the minimum
carload was reduced and the rate
] olSCN- IL q ~ iNoi Ia
said, "the reduction would balance the
advance. But as a matter Of fact the
reduction in the minimum is 10 2-3
per cent while the advance in the rate
is from so to 100 per cent in practically
all of Iowa. Missouri. Kansas. Okla
homa and Texas. Another fact in this
connection was disclosed by an actual
shipper who informed US that so per
dent of his loads were heavier than the
old minimum"
Another illustration vas given by q
candy shipper. There is to be q re-
duction in the rates or chocolate coat
ing and Il raise in the rates On candy
worth dess than Is cents per pound.
Here again the numerical summary
would show a balance. An actual candy
merchant was consulted. He made an
estimate of the practical enect on his
business. The reduction on chocolate
coating he stated would save him about
$3.50 n year, while the advance in the
candy rates would cost his Arm over
$1,000 a year"
binding Irvine II another article Of