The Hartford republican., 1913-10-31
new CHANGES
ARE ACCEPTED
Agree to Terms Decided on
Express Rates.
Rules Will Prevent all Double Col
lections and Many Other
Evils.

Washington, Oct. 2S.-The deter
mination Of the express carriers to
obey the order of the commisuiou.
formally announced today brings to
an end the greatest piece of construc-
tive work ever performed by an i'd
ministrative government body.
Following two years Investigation
In which the interstate commerce
commission was constantly engaged,
bs well as number of days Of ar
gument. participated in by the sh6p-
pers last July issued report, pre-
pared by Commissioner John H. Mar-
BILE, which analyzed and discussed
the showing made by the express COM
panies, and which concluded by pr-
dering the entire system of rates, pre-
pared in accordance with the sug-
gestions made in the previous repoi&,
installed by the express companies.
A complete Classification showing
the tremendous amount of study of
the matter made by Mr.. Marble, was
included in this report as we'll - q
set of rules to govern express trans
portation throughout the United
States. A directory of express sta
tions In the United States was pro-
vided and rates prescribed for all
classes of property between all sta-
tions. ---,-
In their estimates of losses under
the Marble scale of rates, the express
carriers said the total reduction In
revenue from transportation under
such rates would be not less than
100000 a year.
This estimates was received by the
commission in its final report, an
analysis Of the showing made by the
express companies leading to the con-
clusion were based upon the business
Of days which were abnormal in char
acter and. therefore, not indicative Of
the extended application of the rates.
The volume of express business In
this country is approximately 3o0.-
000. 900 parcels year transported. An
increased rate Of only l per cent q
parcel would yield a return in gross
revenues therefore Of $3,000.000
The MarbIe order will result IN
substantial reductions In most oe the
rates now maintained by the ex-
press companies. In some instances
an increase in the rate hundred
pounds Is indicated as reasonable.
Even in such cases. however. the
Marble, method of determining rates
on parcels weighing less than 100
pounds so differs from the methods
followed by the express companies in
the past that even under the increas-
ed rates per one hundred pounds It
will result in a reduction of the
package rates.
In some isolated cases Mr.. Marble
has indicated the reasonableness OF
an increase in package rates. This
results from the fact that the Mar
BILE rates are harmonious through
out. and viii place shippers every
where upon a relative equality.
While no estimate of total reduc-
tions in the charges Tor Transports
tion can be made the saving to ship
pers viii be substantial.
Even this, however. IL OF less I'm
portance than the drastic revision Of
the express companies rules. IL s
believed that evil of double collec-
tons will be eliminated. 1t is also
arranged that express matter shall
move by the shortest available route.
This will lead to q marked improve
ment In the service. In the past. the
tariffs OF the express companies have
been unintelligible to any but the
initiated and rates have been deter
mined therefrom only with the great
est difficulty.
The method of publication OF rates
provided by Mr.. Marble wia reduce
the volume of these tariffs by not hess
than s5 per cent. The tariffs pre-
pared according TO the Marble pIsn
will be tntelligible. The result
will be that Il will be more c,earay
able to ASSESS charges in every case
upon q legal basis and that 1t with
be possible for shippers by consult
ing tariffs 10 determine rates for
: n amsaIvAa