The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-04
investigation Not Completed.

that they desire TO offcr in order TO show
q present Inadeuudcv Of revenues. More
over. their witn,ss.s have not Yet been
cross-cXamined certain Independent in
Vestigations OF the books OF the carriers
undertaken by the commission have not
Yet been completed and many shippers
who have interested themselves IN the
inquiry and are affected By the proposed
Increase IN rates have not Yet been
afforded an opportunity to be heard. Tn
ter these circumstances. and in View OF
the full hearing required by law and of
the desir. OF the commission TO be fully
advised with respect 70 all sides of the
important question involved In the pro-
ce.ding, IL is inanfestly too early to draw
any final differences or to reach any final
conclusions on the record as 1t now
stands.
on tho assumption that their evil
dence and testimony. when fully spread OF
record, will demonstrate that their rev.
enues are not adequate the carriers. as
sclut.on of the situation. have proposed
a general increase In these rates. Tho
Increases suggested by them are COM
monty referred TO as "A general Increase OF
: per cent. As a matter of fact. although
some Of the proposed rates are slightly
less than 8 per cent. higher than the
present rates, on the other hand some OF
them are as much as 80 per cent higher
than the existing rates.
Huge Allowances Made.
Tn. investigation recently completed
INTO the relation 81 carriers to plant rail-
Ways controlled by Industries in official
classification territory disclosed that AL
lowarces. huge in the aggregate. are be-
Ing made by carriers directly or indirectly
20 the Industries in the form OF ') di-
visions out of the rate CD per diem
reclsinis. Co remission of demurraSe.
and cd furnace allowances.
The aggregate amount of the allow
hnc-s and the cost of the free services
IN official classification territory We're est.-
mated In that report TO deplete the car
rlers revenues by not less than sl5.-
000 600 a year Action should early be
taken by the carriers forthwith to abolish
oil such illegal allowances and free SER
vices
II shall not venture to make any def
mite estimate in figures as to what II
costs the carriers to render these services.
or any estimate of the revenues that
would accrue to them for the services
uudor charges that all would regard as
reasonable. No well informed person,
however. can doubt that the discontinue
alcc OF these free services will save the
carriers millions If dollars OF expense
annually, nor can any well informed per-
Son doubt that " each such service should
be- measured in relation to its cost ana
ia value and the general conditions sur
rounding It, and should then be made
revenues Of the carriers performing 1t, the
income OF tn. carriers would be increased
b! many million dollars year.
Immediate Consideration Needed.
TO the extent therefore that these ser
wees may justly be said to account for
or contribute to any inadequacy In the
revenues Of the carriers, to that extent
would seem to follow that the pro-
posed Increase in rates means that the
general shipping public must accept IN
,Ieas"d rat. burdens i'm order that the
carriers may continue without charge TO
FENDER these valuable and costly services
70 q relatively small number of shippers.
!h' prnpriety. therefore, under existing
circumstances of disseminating the per
i''fauc" Of these special services with
out charge is manifestly matter that
saould receive immediate consideration.
In making these observations II must
o. nid"rs'oos that the comm sslon ~ not
''Nff his means OF indicating that the
''il"l. must ADOPT thlS method or M
\ "'a'hS theii incom" and may not ADOPT
z aHo'hp method. Nor must II he under
s.ePd from what has been said that ! am
smNN' lng any debate views for tht
commission on this question OF free ser
Yes
~ am carly day. therefore, 1t Is thf
P'riIN, ~ tho commission to set foi
''"fIf tH" question Of the propricty 81
Ns"lur reasonable charges for tn" free
rYcr' hat 7 Ia Ve described, and more
NnoIi'rly For the services OF spottins
ers on private spur and switch tracks.