The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-06-13
Chicago Great Western Is One
OF These Favored Few
WHATS TO BE THEIR ATTITUDE
Conferences With Their Representa-
tlves Will Result; Commission
Does Some Worrying

st. Paul. June 11-Six of the trunk
line railroads in Minnesota were not
directly affected by the opinion of the
supreme court of the United States in
the rate case. They are the Chicago
and Great Western, Chicago, st. Paul,
Minneapolis and Omaha, Minneapolis,
ST. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie. Chica-
go. Rock Island and Pacific and the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
In view of this fact much interest
attaches as to what will be the atti-
tude of these lines with reference to
the decision. The court held that as
to the Northern Pacific and Great
Northern the rates established by the
state were not confiscatory, but that
they were as to the Minneapolis and
st. Louis. Should any of the other
roads named desire to continue their
present schedules they could do so I'M
til the reasonableness of these rates,
as applied to each specific case, are
determined.
Attorney General Smith said that
conferences with their representatives
undoubtedly will be held in the near
future to determine their attitude. He,
however, does not expect any opposi-
ton from any of them in re-establish-
ing the tariff schedules held valid in
the case of the Hill lines.
Commission Is Uneasy.
Washington. June ll.-Among mem
bers of the interstate commerce com
mission there is a feeling of uneasi
ness over the railroad situation fol
lowing a more thorough digest on the
part of the commissioners of the
Minnesota rate case decision.
Opinion as to which course the sil
preme court would take in deciding
this case was divided almost equally
among the commissioners between a
verdict in favor of the railroads and
against states right to control iutra
state rates that affect interstate com
merce and the opinion as rendered.
Commissioners feel that chaos will
reign for a time in the situation
throughout the country.
1t is pointed out that the railroad:
will be ground between the milestone:
of dozen or more state railroad
commissions, each seeking to enforc'
rates for its own commonwealth.
Many state railroad commission:
have a definite policy looking to the
reduction of rates within the border:
of their own states to the poin
where their ports of entry or thei,
jobbing centers will get the cream o
the business and practically shuttin!
out the competition at ports or job
bling centers in neighboring states.
There is good example of thi
sort of policy in the Texas railroa'
commission, which has sought to en-
force rates that will practically fore
the export business through the por
of Galveston and which. the shipper
complain, have deprived them of tn
benefit of the port of New Orleans
even though in some cases the hau
to the latter port is shorter.
Congress May Grant Relief.
This situation, say members of tn
commission. will grow worse. unles
congress acts promptly to relieve tn
situation. Justice Hughes, in his d.
cision, pointed out that congress ha
the paramount authority even in tn
matter of intrastate rates where the
have an influence on interstate rate:
but congress has never exercised tina
authority.
This decision of the supreme cour
is a plain statement of the law as
is and it leaves the railroads at tn
mercy of the state legislatures O
commissions. The court has refuse
to legslate, but has put the probler
clearly up to congress- said Commits
sioner Marble.
eff the state commissions act froI
the selfish interests of their ow
states. as we know that some of thel
have. then a chaotic condition wi
arise and the hardship will fall ne
only on the railroads. but with ecu;
force upon the shippers"
Other members of the commssio
pointed out that the commission ha
very seldom exercised it's right to pr
scribe interstate rates for the tran
portation of freight or passengers.
The usual method is for the raj
road to file its tariff and then upo
investigation the commission decide
whether the rates are reasonable {
not. If unreasonable the commissio
prohibits the railroads putting the
into effect, but it leaves the matte
of supplying reasonable rate to tt
carriers as rule.