Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-10
REPUBLICAN, ARsHAILTowN. NOVEMBER 1913

very much what has peen done In
Iowa for thirty years or moro and In
some states. where the commission
make a classification applicable SO far
as its jurisdiction extends. and has
regular classification hearings for
changes from time time as business
develops. 1t was also pointed out that
In Great Britain they have uniform
classification prepared by commits
sion which was approved by parlia-
ment against the protests OF the car
riers.
The need for revolution In regard to
freight classification Is declared to be
real. for the confusion is interminable.
There are three classification terri
tories made by the railroads and then
many state classifications. For In
stance. a shipment of cotton fabrics. ~
original piece. from Chicago. would
take If going to Peoria, third class
rates. under the Illinois classification;
II same goods were sent to Columbus
o., Is per cent less than second class.
under official classification; II to
Nashville, Tenn, fourth class, under
southern classification: If to Kansas
City, first class, under western classt-
location.
ny SHoulG ilpuI ouu NhSaI III cthA
rels." says the report, "be classed in
official in western, + in the southern,
and c In the Virginia classification?
Why should soap take class r 2S in
official in western. in southern.
in Illinois. in North Carolina and
in Virginia? There are vpriations here
amounting to over 200 per cent In the
rates on the same article"
Then there are differences due to the
manner Of packing the goods and diff
ferences in rates due to different mini
mum weights. resulting In confusion
and determinations.
Confusion Results.
THE attendant confusion Is real,
says the report 1T is not only puzzling
to and misleading to the ordinary ship
per. who has no special training along
these lines. but also to the expert. This
is best Illustrated by the experience of
the men attempting TO analyze the
changes proposed by the western
classification committee in their pub-
lieation called No. 81. This paper
bound book OF some 800 pages caused
over 1000 changes, as compared with
the preceding publication known as
western classification No. so. In order
to count the advances and reductions.
you must first find the rate on any
given article in both classifications.
and this was such a difficult task that
1t took the rate clerks of the inter-
state commerce commission over three
months, just to locate and count the
changes. And even then it Is claimed
that they left out several hundred
changes, according to committee OF
rate clerks in the employment of GER
tain western state commissions. The
chairman of the western classification
committee stated there was not man
in the country who could count the
changes twice and agree with himself
both times. If this be true of rate eN-
perts. how is the average man going
to compute rates on his own business
under these different classifcations eX-
listing todHy?''
The extent to which changes in
classification really make changes in
rates IS shown Adjusting the tariff
schedules for the United States Is de-
clared to be an easy undertaking COM
pared to the task Of adjusting a freight
rate classified ton.
At the regular session of congress
the bill to authorize the making OF
uniform classification will be strongly
urged on congress. 1t will be done in
the interest of the consumer chiefly
but also the small shippers and to
some extent the larger shippers, but
not in any sense antagonistic to the
carriers: and with the data now for
the first time furnished 1t seems prob
able the interstate commerce commits
sion will be given this added RESPONSE
bility and duty.