New-York tribune., 1912-07-15

rates as the system proposed ny the coln-
mission. However. as each agent under
the new system will be obliged to know
only the rates that apply between his sta
ton and each Of the other blocks, he v Ill
have to consult only $50 rates to find the
proper charge from his station TO every
other station within the United States.
Common Rate Area Reduced.
Through this system the common rate
area on short hauls is reduced from an
area of about $500 square miles, which is
the average area Of each main block TO
an area of about $50 square miles. The
present express rate methods embrace
much larger common rate areas.
For instance. the rate a hundred pounds
from Boston. New York, Philadelphia Bal
timore Washington and Richmond 10 Seat
tie, Tacoma Portland, San Francisco, San
Diego. Reno. Sacramento and many other
points embraced In the region west OF the
Sierra and Cascade Mountains is now the
same. sl3 80 Under the commissions sys-
! TEN the rates will vary with the distance
between any two points, from 81 50 10 I'll.
While there has been ali almost uniform
reduction in charges oil parcels Weighing
| fifty pounds or less. the rates on packages
Weighing more than fifty pounds have rot
! been materially reduced In some instances
the commissions proposed rate basis shows
a slight increase Of charges or heavy pack
ages. This indicates the belief OF the COM
mission that the rates Of the express com
| panies q hundred pounds are not. on the
whole seriously excessive.
Nv the terms OF the commissions order
the changes ia the regulations methods ana
| practices OF the express companies, the re-
| classification OF express matter. the changes
! I'm the billing Of packages and other ad-
| min,stratiye reforms are required 20 he PUT
| into effect practically Immediately. Tn
rates proposed however, will not become
effective before some time next autumn
! The commission has set October a. the
| date for the beginning of a hearing Of the
! representatives OF express companies ana
shippers as 10 why the rates prescribe d
should not go into effect.
on every question except that Of rate, a
| substantial agreement has been reached be
tween the commission and the companies.
| The latter expressed their Willingness 10
conform their business operations to any
! requirements the commission might MAKE,
| but they expressed anxiety concerning any
serious reduction OF their rates. Jest 1t
might seriously affect their revenues.
| commissioner Lane makes vigorous At
| tack In his report on the so-caled scale or
/ graduated charges bv which the express
companies now determine the rate viii,
| shall apply to a package OF a given weight.
| This scale is held by the commission 10 be
unreasonable. discriminatory and arbitrary.
The report says:
I, is the product OF years Of shrewd ma
| nipulatlon. has no justification in the minds
! of tho expressmen themselves, and ls the
richest example yet brought 10 our dttcn-
ton OF tAriN based exclusively upon the
| theory that the charge should be "hat the
traffic Will bear.
Conclusions OF the Commission.
With respect to the standard OF rates the
commission says.
VIVA; then nav be said 70 he the stand
ard of a reasonable express rate our an
swer is. 40 one consideration. These con-
illusions however. We have reached
First-That express rates should he made
primarily To- meet the need ~ the great
body Of cur people. and snoud therefore
be stated I'm terms that represent TN" smaII
tended to carry. rather than by the l"
hounds as freight rates are stated.
| Second-That in the fixing of its rates an
express company should not he allowed 10
charge more than a railroad company, II
the latter undertook 10. and did. give the
same service.
Thlrd-That II is proper for the govern
uent 10 treat the express company as
freight forwarder by passenger train CIV
ing supplemental servic" at each terminal
and intermediate care.
Fourth--That an express rate may not
be- based upon the monopoly right or tho
express company to be the exclusive freight
forwarder over one or more lines OF ran
road
Fifth--That the rate should not include
more than a reasonable COMPENSATION Tor
the service given, even though such com
pensntion falls below that which the rail-
road exacts as a minimum for the carriage
OF 100 pounds OF freight
Sixth-That it is unreasonable TO fix as
rapid a decline in express rates for long
distances as Is made ty the railroads In
their freight rates, express service In TINS
respect being more analogous to passenger
than 10 freight service.
ro,e tho railroad should BE- allowed com
pensation for bulked freight moved upon a
passenger train as TO when II is reneVed
by contract for ALL liability for loss or
damage and is without expense for the
furnishing OF a receipt, the billing, the
bookkeeping and great number OF other
general eNp"nS'S
F,ighth-That the rate should include re-
turn 10 the express company which VIII com
nensate Il with profit for the expense OF the
service which II gives. there being added
thereto I'm the formation OF the total rate
the proper charge which II may reasonably
make for the service which the railroad
gives as stated I'm the preceding para
graph.
The report contains a wealth Of detail
concerning the financial operations Of the
ernress companies and their relations with
the public and the railroads. Attached to
u is a voluminous appendix giving an
ara,ysis OF the relationship which exists
among tho various express companies
sbov,ng the directors OF express companies
which are interested In railroads. the rail-
-o,d of,ciaIs who are Interested i'm express
.o,,nanies. the organization and capitaliza-
it, ~ the companies. and thorough
a,a,vsis OF their operating expenses and In
come.
After the hearing next October supple
,,a,tarv order will be entered by the com
r,iss,on putting into effect the rates pro-
nosed az soon as II may be considered
nrac,icabIe TO make them effective.
LIFE SENTENCE FOR WOMAN