The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-27
Freight Rate Decision


 Washington. June 27-An amended order in lieu Of that rescinded, last Saturday. was issued yesterday by the interstate commerce commission for an investigation into an increase Of freight rates by the Eastern railroads. It differs in pI1raseology but not fin principle from that rescfnded.
 The decision to investigate was reached by a bare majority, three of the body, Commissioners Clements. McChord and Marble, dissenting. Bach dissenter wrote brief opinion, holding in the main that the committee. hay ing nothing concrete before it, was without authority to establish mini mum rates
 Tn connection with the issuance of the order the commission makes two observations:
 ''F1ret,The fact that we have decdd- ed further to investigate this subject must not be taken as an intimat1on that the commission has reached the conclusion that revenues are made quate or that rates should be advanc- ed. Upon this question no opinion has been formed.
 s-Second-That the statue gives to any party the right to attack by com plaint any rate; and no general con- clusion which the commission may reach and announce in this 1nvestiga- i ton can affect that right LII l1S PI01ACS IC 1lS OE0S1s the CO1I1@ mission says that being of the opin- l ion, from consideration of the ale 1 gations of the petition that the need of and Justification for additional rev enue should be at the present time 1 further examined
 l An inquiry is ordered into these points: 'sDo the present rates of trans portation yield adequate revenues to common carriers by the railroad op- 1 erating in official classification terri tory?''
 If not, what general course may In dissenting from the decision of the majority to make the investigation, Commissioner Clements said: ! Nowhere in the law is the comnais- 1 sion authorized to fix absolute or min imunn rates. It is authorized to sus- pend. pending investigation rates pro- posed by the carriers before they be- come effective only when such pro- Iposed rates have been filed pursuant to the requirements of Section 6, of the act, the provisions of which demand a specific statement of the rates pro- posed.
 ''It ifs not contended that upon a general inquiry by the commission such as is here instituted it could en- ter an order requiring or authorizing an increase of rates, yet this is a pro- ceeding for the avowed purpose, among 
 present rates of the carriers afford adequate revenue. In my view, any expression of opinion on this queS- ton, following a general inquiry o1 ? this kind not based upon specifically proposed rates filed according to law involves the determination of some O. the most fundamental and inportan questions respecting the reasonablene es;
 of rates not before us and conteIn-
 plates the reasonability of giving sornt sort of general sanction to advanced rates to be hereafter filed by carriers.
 Commissioner Clements further sug
 gests that such action would predeter
 mine rates and preclude the shipperi
 from filing protests against an ad Evance they may regard as onerous.
 Commissioner Marble could not agre,
 that the investigation should be mad
 prior to the formal filing of the pro
 posed rates.
 Commissioner McChord agreed to thu
 general proposition as stated by Com
 missioners Clements and Marble al
 though he expressed the opinion tha.
 it was the duty of the commission tu
 make the investigation.
 No time is fixed for the beginnin,
 Of the investigation but it is unoffi
 cial1y understood that no formal pro
 ceedings will be undertaken befor . lnext autumn.