The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-04-27
The Shreveport Texas Rate Case.

The ShrevepOrt-TeX Rate Case.
The Commerce Court, at their sit
ting in Washington on Friday, up
held the Interstate Commerce Com
missions order in the Shreveport
Texas rate cases. The gist OF the
decision, relieved of legal and tech
nical phrases, is that no State may.
by its State rates, impede the flow
of commerce from other States or
protect its own shippers against
outside competition"
This declaration is good practical
common sense. 1t is the basis OF
equity and responsive to the spirit
OF the square deal.
This litigation, instituted through
the intermediary of the Chamber of
Commerce, has been pushed as Wig
orously as the legal rules would
permit, and as a reality, the Com
MERGE Courts opinion has been
reached and expressed much earlier
than had been reasonably antici-
pated.
In the matter of details and in the
gathering of the evidence which was
essentially paramount to the main
tenance of the complaint, Traffic
Manager George T. Atkins is due the
fullest credit, share of which must
be given to Col. R. G. Pleasant OF
Shreveport, Attorney General OF
Louisiana, and an equal share to
State Senator Leon r. Smith, who
provided the necessary legislation
authorizing the State in this action.
These personal references are
not intended as discrimination
or a reflection of any other author
fly who assisted, but is intended to
apply to the gentlemen named, es-
pecially Mr.. Atkins, who from the
beginning of the proceedings never
Jagged in the efforts to secure JUS
tice and "a square deal" for Shreve-
port and the State of Louisiana in
opposition to the autocratic and ar
bitrary rules fixed by the Texas
Railway Commission, dictated in q
spirit of greedy selflshness in order
70 eliminate trade competition, es-
pecially from Shreveport.
From the Texas view, the COM
missioners may be Justified in hav-
ing fixed rates which would exclude
traflc from other States, but if this
course were maintained, interstate
commerce would be impossible and
trade in general would soon become
localized within the domain of each
OF the several States. Fortunately
the commerce of other States, in
and through all the States, is slim
ulated by legitimate intercourse be-
tween the States, without arbitrary
restrictions which creates compe-
tition and has become an accelera-
tor of progressiveness.
Before the arbitrary rules OF the
Texas Commission excluding traffic
had been established and enforced,
Shreveport controlled commercially
q large section of the State of Texas
in legitimate competition with Dali
las and Houston, and will again re-
establish the amicable and the mu-
tual interests of the people of this
vast territory and the business and
traffic interests of this city.
In proceeding legally against the
Texas Commission, Shreveport has
been actuated by the simple purpose
Of reaching for trade in Texas, as III
Arkansas and Mississippi, where no
impediment is offered or arbitrary
rules are enforced in a discrimina-
tion which is sanctioned neither by
equity or law.
Possibly the case may be appealed
to the Supreme Court of the United
States, but the principles are so
clear and just and so thoroughly in
concord with the legitimate rules Of
commerce recognized throughout
the civilized world, that no appre-
hensiOn need be entertained in the
final decree of this court.
An appeal will only have the eff
feet Of delaying the complete razing
OF the barrier which has impeded
Shreveport in a legitimate trade
competition in Texas.
The Treaty With Japan.
Times-DemOcrat April 26: Cali