Arizona republican., 1912-07-15
SYSTEM OF RATE
 MAKING EVOLVED
Rates Are Not Only to be Greatly Reduced But They Are to be More Equitable as to Lighter Packages.

Packages.
 WASHINGTON. July 14.-Sweeping reductions in express rates averaging. il, general. approximately 15 per cent; drastic reforms in regulations and practices: and comprehensive changes m the methods of operation. are pre- scribed in a report made public today by the Interstate Commerce commis- sion of it's investigation into the business of the thirteen great com rsnies of the United States.
 Dealing with the identity of inter est between the various companies. the report finds that while these companies are separate legal entities ''it is of interest to regard this fact that by stock ownership and other wise they are so interlaced. inter twined. and interlocked that it is with difficulty we can trace any one of the greater companies as either wholly independent in it's manage ment or the agency of a single rail- road system So that while these companies operate separately and compete with each other for traffic the express business may be said to be almost a family affair. An in tcresting genealogical tree. in fact. might be drawn showing a common ancestry in all of the larger com panies. And while many names may be used to designate these companies. it is within the fact to say that aside from the operat tions of the minor and distinCtively railroad ex- press companies. the express business of the United States is managed by not more than three groups of in tercsts'
 The inquiry was the most exten- sive. and. in wealth Of infinite de- tail. probably tho most thorough ever prosecuted by the commission r was conducted and the report was prepared by Commissioner Franklvl1 K Lane. It has been in progress fol nearly three years The report itseli makes 500 printed pages. It involved an examination and comparison oi practically more than 600. .0OO.O 900 eN- Tress rates in effect in this country in addition to an examination o1 millions of waybills and an investiga ton. through the books of the com panies. of their financial operations and business methods.
 Commissioner Lane is of opinion that the conclusions reached consti- ute long step towards the solution of that gravest problem of the Amer ican householder. the high cost ot Ewing.
 The greatest reduction of rates proposed is on small packag ges-tha is on parcels which weigh less thar r pounds. Rates on packages o more than r pounds were found to bc more reasonable than those CT smaller parcels.
 Briefly stated the new rates ma! he said to be based upon d minimum charge of 21 cents for one poun, package. This charge increases il ratio to the increase of weight an, distances. at rates varying from three tenths of a cent a pound to about 1 cents a pound. Twelve cents pound according to the conclusions of tn commission. is approximately tn highest rate per pound for the great est distance possible for q parcel t he carried wholly within the Unite States exclusive of Alaska
 Packages weighing two pounds. fo instance. may be shipped 1000 mile New York Citv to Chicago-for , cents: and 20OO miles-New Tor City to Denver-for 31 cents. tn present rates being respectively. fo each B cents. three pound pack age will cost 2 cents for 1000 mile and 37 cents for 200O miles the ex isting rates being. respectively. eac 45 cents. A ten pound package ma be transported 1000 miles for i cents and 2000 miles for - cents 8 against the existing rates of 75 cent and SIPS. respectively The cost C transporting twentv-fiVe poun package 1000 miles will be 76 cent against the present rate of S11O. an for 2OOO miles. s164 against the pres ent rate of $225.
 Commissioner Lane believes that th method adopted for the computatio and construction of express rates
 scientific and will result in the exaC ton of entirely reasonable charge Through the decision announced tC day express rates are made that al expected to open an avenue of traC
 between the producer of food con
 modities and the consumer bv di:
 tributing equitably to the weight ar
 distance the burden of the cost
 transportation. At present that bu
 den is borne chiefly by the parcels
 light weight. By Commissioner Lane
 decision. the small package will be-
 no greater share. per pound of u
 cost of transportation than the hea,