The Green Forest tribune., 1913-03-21

NOlVeS more CuduBeS lhah oyiy oNhOt tariff publication ever issued by Amer ican railroads The work done in preparation for this issue is said to have cost the railroads approximately $500 900.
 Most important Phases.
 Of the many phases of the deci- sion the first in importance are the rules and regulations. The carriers proposed many changes. These are applicable to every city, town and hamlet west of the Mississippi river The state commissions made ob1ec- tions to fourteen of these rules, and changes were made or ordered in twelve of them.
 "A concrete illustration of these concerns the dunnage allowance. Prior to the issuance of No. 51, the carriers permitted the shippers to use lumber and boards to prop up machin- cry in a car, the railroads hauling 500 pounds of such lumber free of charge. No. 51 abolished the dunnage privi- lege, and the commission ordered 1t reinstated. When one considers the thousands of shipments that are made annually, the importance of such a ruling can be appreciated.
 Another change of importance to the western half of the United States concerns green hides. The carriers put in rule permitting them to re- fuse to take green hides for shipment. We pointed out that they could be stored or handled in live stock cars, and not contaminate other commodi- ties, and claimed that the carriers should be compelled to accept the same for transportation. Our position was sustained by the commission.
 Minimum Rate Ruling.
 Several hundred advances were proposed by the railroads in minimum weights. They announced their pol icy to be the establishment of mini nuns upon the physical capacity of the ears refusing to take into consid- eration the commercial conditions surrounding the transportation.
 Carload Mixtures.
 "One of the most important parts of this case concerns carload mixtures. The carriers proposed the elimination of carload mixtures on 234 articles, and proposed changes restricting car load mixtures on more than three hun dred other articles. One of the most important changes affecting carload mixtures, which serves as an illustra- ton of the effect of such changes concerns binding twine. Prior to the issuance of No 51, the carriers per mitted binding twine to be shipped mixed with agricultural implements. all of which took carload rates. In No. 51 they proposed to apply less than carload rates on all shipments of binding twine made in this manner. This would have caused an advance of about one hundred per cent in the freight rates on binding twine, and more than ninety per cent of all bind ing twine shipments, we were told by the largest shippers in the coun- try, would be affected by this hundred per cent advance.
 "As indicating the policy of the tJ load mixtures granted to them, while over five hundred articles were totally eliminated from carload mixtures. or the mixtures were changed or re- strfeted. The interstate commerce commission has ordered the carriers to pursue diametrically the opposite course Instead of restricting mix lures, they are instructed to make them more liberal.
 "In addition to these changes in rules, the commission made specific orders disappearing advances on a long list of articles. The decision in this case is the most epoch-making on justification matters ever render ed by the interstate commerce com mission"