Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-18
SOME THINGS ELlWINATED
HEAVIER ARTICLES, INCLUDING
BULK OF TRAFFIC, KEEP
OLD RATES
THE WAR is THE REASON
1T IS RECOGNIZED AS A DISTURB
INC FACTOR IN INDUS.
TRIAL CIRCLES

| Washington, Dec. 1S-The inter-
state commerce commission today
granted the application OF the eastern
railroads for per cent advance in
freight rates. excepting On certain
specified commodities. Commission.
ers Harlan and Clements dissented.
The carriers are permitted to make
the applied-for advances IN rates ex-
cept the rail-lake-and-rail, alexandria,
and rail-and-lake traffic; rates on
bituminous coal and coke; rates on
anthracite coal and iron ore, and rates
on commodities are held by unexpired
orders for the commission.
After further consideration the com.
mission permits advances to be made
also on cement, starch, tile, brick, clay
and plaster. On these commodities
no advances were permitted by the
decision of August Is.
Joint rates between official classifi.
cation territory and territory Of the
Potomac and Ohio and east Of IL
Mississippi may be increased not ts
exceed 5 per cent.
Interstate rates ID anu from Nes
England also may be Increased not
to exceed 5 per cent
While present existing differentiais
among various Atlantic ports are pre-
served, the rates between any two OF
them may also be increased 5 per
cent
Increases in freight rates approx
mating per cent Oh all the railroads
between the Atlantic seaboard and
the Mississippi, north Of the Potomac
and Ohio rivers, were granted today
by the interstate commerce commits
sion in a divided opinion, excepting
llpon certain heavy commodrues,
which comprise a large bulk Of the
traffic aps
The Increases will further apply to
the railroads west Of Buffalo and
Pittsburgh, which were granted par
tial advances in the decision Of last
August, which denied them altogether
to the roads east Of those points.
1t is estimated that advanced rates
will increase the annual income Of the
roads about sSO,O0OO0O. The commits
sion made its decision upon the show
ing Of the railroads thst in addition
to conditions from which they asked
relief, they now are confronted with
an emergency because Of the war N
With Commissioners Harlan and
Clements dissenting, the majority OF
the commission declared:
Whatever the consequences OF the
war may prove to be, we must rec
Dgnize the fact that It exists; the fact
that it is calamity without prece
dent, and the fact that by 1t the CONF
merce of the world has been dIsar-
ranged and thrown into confusion.
The means Of transportation are run
aamental and Indispensable agencies
In our industrial life. and for the com
mon veal should be kept abreast OF
public requirements"
Summarizing the basis Of its decis-
ion the majority report Of the commits
sion said:
THE facts disclosed and occur
rences originating subsequent to May
20, 1914, as presented at the further
hearing, may be summarized under
three heads:
First. Completed returns for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, and
returns for succeeding months;
Second The war in Europe: ana
Third. Results Of the original or.
der
When these cases were originally
submitted. as also when the original
report was prepared. the revenue and
expenditure account for June. 1914.