Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-02
RAILROAD OFFICIALS ADMIT FREE
CHARGES TO BIG SHIPPERS
SHOULD CEASE.
FAvoRs TO BIG INDUSTRIES
.eoRNE BY SMALL SHIPPERS
Interstate Commerce Commission Nov.
ing Slowly in Rate Investigation 70
Permit Railroad Heads to Prepare
FSr Reforms Which They Have Been
Ispsei.i corrszpoaaence.l


after. week goes by and the interstate
commerce commission assemblies great
er and greater quantities Of informa-
/: ton in the advanced freight rate case,
, those in Washington who are following
1.-THE changing situation closely are
realizing that, If the Interstate Com
merce Commission is not sparring for
time it rs at least conducting this
great case in manner leisurely enough
SO that the public may fully under
stand what is being done and why.
This would seem to indicate that the
commission is inclined to favor the
shippers as against the railroads and
that 1T realizes that a premature re-
cfsion against the railroads would be
a shock to those business interests OF
the country, which have practically
made their cause and that Of the rail-
roads one.
Tactics are Simple.
As seen at first hand the tactics Of
the Interstate commerce commission
in the railroad rate case are simple.
The commission is saying. in effect, to
the railroads: you say you need more
money. and that therefore you must be
allowed to raise your rates. Very we'll.
we will show YOU how you can raise
more money without the additional
charge upon the public which the raise
IL rates would call for. II you will
economic in ways which we shall sus
ges,, all wiil be we'll The pubic be satis-
fed, we shall be satisfied. and, you may
not think so at first, YOU will eventually
be better satisfied yourself" The COM
mission has already ordered the aboli-
ton OF free services on industrial lines
which, it is estimated, would bring in
10 the railroads an increase of some
thing like s1500o000 in annual revenue
That the commission will order the
abolition OF other kinds OF free SER
vices and determinations is a practi-
cal certainty.
Public Makes Task Hard.
II the public which is vitality inter-
ested in the railroad rate case under
stood the course OF the commission in
this respect. the task before the COM
mission would undoubtedly be much
easier than 1t is today when the public
either does or can not appreciate the
fact that the game Is to show the rail-
roads how TO save money by every
possible device other than boosting
freight rates. The general impression
has got abroad that the only way in
which the railroads can recoup their
fortunes is thru an increase in
freight charges. The Interstate Com
merce Commission. however. by action
as we'll as by word. has intimated
,,lo ir1x hot Il r5c ho oipo NJ
freight rates as. only one Of the ways
in which additional revenue for the
development Of the transportation
business Of the country can be brought
into the treasures Of the carriers.
Speaking on this particular point in be-
half Of the presidents of the fifty-two
eastern railroads interested in the case,
President Daniel Willard Of the Balti-
more & Ohio stated recently that while
he did not fully share the expressed
views Of the commission as to the sum
Of money that might be saved to car
riers by the changes suggested, never
theless. @the carriers will cooperate
fully with the commission in the
furtherance Of any plan intended to
increase their net revenue. The car
riers feel no special pride Of author
tship." concluded Mr. Willard. land il
better plan for sufficiently increasing
their earnings can be found than the
one they proposed, they will very will
lingiy accept It,"
Big Shippers BeneHeiari.s.
A great deal Of significance Is at
tached TO President Wizards state
ment. and men here closely connected
with the rate case believe that it marks
Ithe elimination and indicates the de-
Feline OF the opposition to the COM
missions tactics which has been mani
tested hitherto by the railroads. Today.
Therefore, new factor for the first
! time enters seriously into considera-
ton. namely. the big shippers who will
have to "pay the freight in the most
liberal sense Of the term il present
plans prevail and the railroads rev.
enues are to be drawn from the big
shippers directly instead of from the
public indirectly through increased
rates. According to the evidence col
ected by experts of the interstate COM
merce commission the big shippers
have been benefited by various free
services to a far greater extent than
had been supposed.
| Now. II the railroads are to increase
their revenues by charging for ser
wees 1OrsWhlch tney nave not charged
in the past, it follows logically that
1 these charges will have to come out
OF the pockets Of the shippers. Very
NATURALLY the shippers are Directing,
but their Representatives are frank in
stating that there is no good. reason
why they. should not pay the required
/ charges.
1 All Concerned to BE Benefited.
While great deal of temporary
embarrassment may be caused by the
lreadjusting process which must follow
II the interstate commerce commission
continues to follow the policy which it
has instituted In the rate case. railroad
lexperts are fairly unanimous in agree
ling that in the long run every party
concerned will be benentted. even tsiose
who apparently have the most to lose
the h.y, shippers. The ultimate aim of
the interstate commerce commission In
4 the rate case is to cooperate with the
shippers and carriers with view to
putting the transportation business Of
the country on a businesslike basis. II
the commission has its way, the rail-
lroads will perform no services for the
shippers FOR which they do not receive
Just recompense, and the tangled ac-
!Sraf1f7ks r-h{e, today make n N S7flff.