The Forrest City times., 1913-03-21
NOTABLE VICTORY
FOR THE PEOPLE
Upsetting of Western Classical
ton 81 Means Much.
RAILROADS LOSE BIG CASE
Chairman Thorne Of Iowa Commits
sion Tells How the Shippers and
Consumers of the West Bene-
fit by the Decision.


Des Moines, Ia. March 13.-The peo-
nile of the United States have had
Iowa to thank for a number of ex-
cellent things, and to the list must
he now added an achievement that
means a great deal to the shippers Of
the entire west from the Mississippi
to the Pacific. Especially are those
shippers under obligations to the Iowa
state board Of railroad commissioners
and its chairman, Clifford Thorne.
This achievement is the suspension
and revision, by the interstate com
merce commission, of an entire freight
classification, known as Western clas-
sifcation No. 81, and on March 81 the
several hundred changes made to con-
form to the commissions order will
20 into effect. Shippers and consum-
ers alike will benefit by the revision.
Iowa Leads the Fight
Iowa's commission was by no means
alone in the good work, but it took
the initiative in the case and assumed
the chief part Of the burden OF pre-
pairing and trying it. Sixteen western
state railroad commissions united In
the fight and Mr.. Thorne was the
chairman OF the committee represent
ing them. He gives much credit to
Benjamin l.. Jacobson, who had gen
eral charge of gathering the evidence
and preparing the specific cases for
trial, and to A. d. Beals, lowa's rate
expert.
Mr. Thorne today had this to say of
tbs big case and its outcome:
"One day during the summer of 1911
| was seated in a hotel parlor in Mil
waukee In one end of the room there
were sixteen men in their shirtsleeves,
talking and listening occasionally to
person standing in the center OF the
room. two or three minutes were al
lowed to the gentleman talking; he
took his seat and another person told
short story; and so on, during the
course of the whole day.
Powerful Group Of Men.
This small group of men exercised
more power than any other similar
group. perhaps, in the United States.
Some nine hundred railroads. large
and small interested in traffic be-
tween the Mississippi river and the Pa
cif1c coast, have organized what they
call western classification commit
tee OF about eighty-fve members.
These eightyfive men have selected
subcommittee Of sixteen men This
subcommittee. which is dominated by
one or two individuals, determines the
freight ratings on over 1000 articles,
on which 35,o00000 people have to
pay traffic between about 10000
towns, located between the Mississippi
pi river and the Pacific coast This
Is one OF the three important classifi-
cation committees in America, the
other two being the official, covering
the northeastern portion of the Unit.
&c States. and the Southern
For the first time in the history of
American railroads an entire classifi-
cation OF ono of these three great
freight classification committees has
been suspended by the federal govern
nent And the committee | have de-
scrlbed has been making a revision OF
It's former work. In accordance with
tue decision which was rendered b.
the interstate commerce commission
recently known as the decision in the
case OF Western classification No. 81
The railroad. have Just submitted TO
the commission a list of several hun
creo changes In this classification to
conform to the commissions order and
lhese VIII 80 into effect March 81
Inc opinion in this case. next to the
one rendered in the express case. is
perhaps the longest ever written by
the Interstate commerce commission.
me case Is Of national Importance.
many OF us features are unique, and
VI profound concern to the consumers
or the country.
Sixteen States United.
many shippers and shippers or
CARNATIONS were parties to this case
hut perhaps the most interesting fea-
'ure was the fact that on behalf of
'ne consumers the railroad commits
SONS OF sixteen great states appear
Gu These states were Illinois, Wis
tohslh' Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri.
Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas. Okla
notna' Nebraska, South Dakota, North
Dakota, Colorado, Nevada, Washing
ION ana Oregon. On the one hand we
Hdu the representatives of some nine
hundred railroads, and opposed to
'nen the representatives Of sixteen
state governments. with the interstate
tonlmeree commission as the deciding
"l'uhal The hearing in the case
tasted about a year.
western Classification No. 81 in