Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-03

| Is justifiable, but the whole structure
OF the schedules should be revised in
order to remove inequities and dis
ordinations.
Increases not to exceed per cent
are warranted in this territory on all
class and commodity rates save coal,
coke, iron ore, cement. brick, tile,
clay, starch and plaster.
Increases are not warranted on com
modities on which the charge is less
than 81 a ton.
No increase of the lake and raj.
rates and rates between central
freight and other parts of official clas-
sification territory is warranted.
Increases of rates in trunk line ter
ritory are not warranted because the
roads are prosperous and do not need
the additional revenue. No increases
are warranted In New England because
those lines "are being cared for To-
calIy"
All railroads should revise their
schedules in order to eliminate unre-
munerative charges, burdensome regu-
lations and free or noncompensatory
services to shippers.
Free transportation of passengers
and private cars should be restricted,
freight car efficiency enhanced, econ
omies in fuel costs and in operation
instituted, and Pullman company con-
tracts revised in order to reduce ex-
pense to the carriers.
Graft in the sale OF supplies and IN
construction work by companies in
which railroad officers are interested
should be eliminated and properties
not used in transportation should be
sold.
History of the Case.
The railroads which applied for the
interstate commerce commissions
permission to raise their freight rates
were the 50 lines in the territory east
of the Mississippi and north of the
Ohio and Potomac rivers. The in
crease asked was five per cent, just
half the increase which these same
railroads tried TO get approval of in
1910, but failed.
1t was deemed that public sentiment |
desired prompt decision of the new
application, and the interstate com
merce commission Immediately insti-
tuted hearings, at which President |
Willard of the Baltimore & Ohio, Pres !
ident Delano of the Monon system,
George Stewart Patterson, general
counsel of the Pennsylvania, and 9th
er prominent railroad officials gave
testimony. Louis D. Brandeis of Bos-
ton, representing the commission and
Chi of LEADING !
counsel in opposition.
The contention of the railroad man
ayers was that In the last three years
The railroads had spent S6,000,000 in
new capital, but that n 1913 the earn
ngs were s16,0O0,OO0 less than in 1912;
hat the greatest increases in railroad
expenses had come about by higher
wages, taxes and new investment in
he properties; that conditions were
such that the New York Central had
since September, 1913, been forced to
ay Off $4,000 men, and it was strongly
minated by some witnesses that I'M
ess the situation were relieved the 8
'ailroads might have to accept gov
eminent ownership as the only alter
native.
Cite Free Services.
The opposing contentious were in
effect that the railroads were constant
Y enjoying higher revenues; that they
spent more on improvements last year
han any other year in history; that
me terminal alone, built at a cost of
los. 0O0, 900, would have built an en-
ire railroad from New York to Chi
ago; and, above all, that the free 6
ervices which the railroads perform &
d for large industrial concerns, would. 6
f paid for, net the railroads approx I
nately s30,000,000 a year. Mr.. Bran v
els declared that "a sum approach q
ng 100000 900 a year Il easily within
he railroads grasp if methods Of con-
CRYING revenues which are being sug-
ested are adopted"
The greatest opposition from ship l
ers came from those interested in !
GAL and petroleum, and it was charg-
by independent ref1ners that the
lcreased freight rates would benefit
he Standard Oil company at the ex-
ense OF the independent concerns. q
Various attempts were made to rep f
esent President Wilson as being in a
lvor of the increase, but he took the Z.
and that the case was before a v
uas judicial body, and no word of f
lie presidents attitude ever was Off q
ally given. He did, however, ex- a
ress the view that the case should be
etermined without any unnecessary
clay. {