The Washington times., 1913-07-23
DISSEMINATION IN
RATES IS SHOWN
Capital Merchants Are Banded
Together for Hard Fight
Against Railroads.
CONTINUED from First PageD

tContinued from First Page.)
TO the case OF points further South,
Washington gets the small end OF the
deal
Baltimore, forty miles north OF Wash
tngton, and Alexandria, only six miles
south, have many rates that show an
enormous discrimination against Wash
ington. according to Mr.. Watts.
Competition Makes Rates.
The making OF rates which affect
these three cities depends on whether
the shipments are TO competitive or
noncompetitiVe points. In other words,
if a Washington merchant ships South
20 city served by more than one rail-
way he gets Q better rate than II he
ships TO a noncompetitive point.
Starting with North Carolina ana
continuing farther south, the Southern
railway has hundreds of places on lts
lists which are subject to Its own con-
trol. Washington gets. In these In
stances, a higher rate than Alexan-
drtR or Baltimore. Consequently wash
tngton cannot compete with Alexandria,
q small city, or with Baltimore, IN the
matter OF soliciting Southern business.
Take some concrete Illustrations:
Western Rates Equal.
Western rates TO Baltimore. Wash
ington, and Alexandria are practically
the same. Thus the three cities start
on an even mark with respect to re-
ceiying shipments from the West.
But, when they start to send their
goods South. they meet this situa-
ton:
Baltimore and Alexandria can ship
goods to Greensboro. y. c., for IS
cents a hundred first class and 2S
cents for fifth class.
Washington on the other hand can
not ship first class cheaper than go
cents, nor fifth class cheaper than 81
cents. This means a discrimination
ranging from 5 to IL cents against
Washington.
Here is another illustration-the
basis for the forthcoming fight for
reduction Of Northern rates provided
the store door delivery is elimina ted
New Workers can ship to Washington
now and have their goods delivered 70
the Washington merchants door for "a
cents a hundred. He can also ship to
Richmond. Va, for the same price, but
he does not get free city delivery. Now,
IL the city delivery is eliminated here
and Mr.. Watts believes the Interstate
Commerce Commission will uphold this
plan-washfngton will be paying a rate
the same as Richmond. III miles south
cost.
Figure An Eight.Cent Cut.
Mr.. Watts and A. Winter, president
of the freight audit concern. figure that
about cents should be clipped off to
meet the elimination of the city de-
livery.
Washington gets the same rate as
Baltimore and Alexandria on the Sea-
board Air line and the Atlantic Coast
line as far south as Georgia. This
is because of competition
Mr.. Watts says that the way for
Washington to become a great COM
in the same group as Washington and
Baltimore with respect 10 the southern
railway points where the Southern now
"milks'' this city.
Washington gots lost in the manipula-
ton of freight rate trainers:
Asheville, n. C., is a non-competittve
point on the Southern railway. Wash.
ington's all-rail rate to ASheville is $1-I3
but Alexapdria's aIl-rail rate is 81 cents
Baltimore, shipping by rail and water
can reach Asheville for Sl.0l, or all ran
for the same price as Washington. This
system. of course, leaves Washington
In the lurch, with Alexandra and Bal
timore both having a distinct advan-
Jage-
Baltimore Is Favored.
Baltimoreans, too, in shipping e
Hendersonville, y. C, by rail and water
can get $1.11 rate. while Washington
forced to ship over the Southern tt
this noncoInpetitive point, must pay
sl-z2. In the same way, Baltimore gets
a Iz-cent advantage to Greer, S. c.
Now, taking a competitive point In
South Carollna-Greenyille, served BY
the Atlantic Coast Line and the South
G situation is snand. Washing.
ton and Baltimore can ship all rail fol
a.9, or rail and water for s1.OI, but
Alexandra, the little city six miles
away, can ship all rail for S1.07, and
by rail and water for the same figure
Still another way in which Washing
ton gets the small end OF the deal or
the rate question is with respect tC
Iates from Philadelphia. These sched
uIes are the same for this city and
Alexandria, but here again, when tht
goods are landed in the two cities
Alexandria has the drop on Washing
ton, for its rates to the South are fal
more advantageous than are Washing
tens.
agree that all this discrimination car
be Temedied.
Will Protest Tariff
In the first place, Washington
merchants, with respect to. the store
door delivery problem, can, and VIII
file a protest against the Pennsyl
yania tarin. They will seek a hear.
ing, and in this, the experts say, it il
more than likely that the city viii
get a reduction Of rates TO meet the
added expense of drayage.
Mr.. Watts is not inclined to believe
that the l. G. c. will uphold the con
tention for continuing the free deliv
cry. The point raised by The Time!
with respect TO forcing the cOntinu
ance of store door delivery, he feels
will not be upheld by the commission
The Times has maintained that IN,
delivery concession was made to NEE
water competition, and that the road
now are eliminating il because the!
have no fear from this source. Mr.
Watts is OF the opinion that the com
mission will hold that il is not righ
to maintain such d system in two cite
alone. The commission is seeking uni
fOrmity in .ailroad management. an
this is one of the steps in that direc
--On, declares Mr.. Watts.
He agrees, however that il is possibl
10 get a reduction of rates IL me-
chants stand together in the fight. 4
this way they Will be enabled 10 NEE
the addei drayage expense.
Should Appeal To /. c. c.