The Washington herald., 1913-08-30
FREE DELIVERY
WAR Continued
In Spite Of Commissions Rul-
ing, Merchants viii
Fight.
SERVICE TO BE STOPPED
Last Hope Of Shippers Is to Attack
the "Reasonableness"
of Tariffs.

Defeated in their preliminary fight be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to prevent the proposed new tariffs
Ohio railroads discontinuing free store
door freight delivery in Baltimore and
Washington going into effect next Mon
day morning. the merchants OF the two
cities yesterday declared their intentions
of attacking the 'reasonableness" Of the
new rates.
The refusal yesterday of the Interstate
Commerce Commission to suspend the
proposed new tariffs pending a full in
lyestigation and hearing OF the question
destroyed the last yistage of hope that
the merchants had OF securing a delay
in the operation Of the new rates. The
railroads under the ruling Of the COM
mission yesterday. are free to discontinue
free store-door delivery beginning Mon
day morning.
The refusal Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission to grant a suspension of the
new tariffs does not mean that the fight
is over. The fight for free delivery is
over, for there is no possible way to
obtain its continuance. There Is no ap-
peal from the decision of the commits
sion, but the merchants are free to at
tack the Teasonableness Of the new rates.
They intend eXerting every effort to OBJ
tain a reduction in the present freight
rates equal to the practical increase
caused by the discontinuance Of free de-
livery.
OmcIaI Explains Ruling.
The merchants will base their fight on
the provision In the interstate commerce
laws which restrict the railroads from
increasing tariffs that have previously
been reduced TO meet water competition.
The local merchants contend that the
discontinuance Of free delivery means
practically an increase of from 10 to IA
per cent over the present rates, and that
the rates were originally reduced by the
railroads TO eliminate water competition.
An official Of the commission yesterday
in explaining the refusal OF the commits
sion to grant a suspension order. stated
that the commission was powerless to
order the railroads to establish a service
which extended beyond their rails. The
power OF the commission is limited to
the removal of any discrimination. The
by its decision last June COM
PEELED the railroads to continue free de-
livery in Washington so long as the prac-
tice was continued in Baltimore, because
to continue 1t in Baltimore and eliminate
was held to be discrimina-
tory against Washington in favor of Bal
timore
Since Washington and Baltimore were
the only two cities in the country enjoy
ing the practice, and now that II has
been discontinued in both cities, there is
no longer any discrimination, and the
commission is powerless to order the
railroads to establish a service extending
beyond their rails.
Counsel for the commercial organiza-
tions declared their intention of contest
ing the validity of the new rates, but
refused to discuss their plans. They
stated that a full statement would be |
issued by them some time next week, and |
that immediate steps would be taken in |
the matter.
The order Of the commission yesterday |
which sounded the death knell OF free
delivery in Washington is as follows:
IN petition received by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission on the 24th |
lltimo the Baltimore Merchants and i
Association requested
Of tariffs filed by the Balti-
more and Ohio and Pennsylvania Rail-
roads withdrawing free store-door coll