Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-02-12
RECENT DECISION OF COMMERCE
BOARD ON SWITCHING OF
CHARGES LOOMS LARGE.
THoRNE SUMMONED EAST
TO CONFER WITH aRANpElS
Advanced Rate Case 1ottomed on
Showing Of Roads That More Rev.
enuss are Necessary to Preserve
Securities and Make Necessary Re.
pairs-Whsrs Leak May b Stopped.
,pecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Dss Moines, Feb. 12.-Chairman
Clifford Thorne. Of the Iowa railroad
commission, who is personally looking
after the matter Of resistance to the
proposed advance in eastern freight
rates of rer cent. is in Washington,
called there by telegram from Louis
E. Brandeis and a letter from Com
missioner Harlan, to consider import
ant matters related to this advanced
rate case.
Among other things there will be con-
sultation on the effect of the recen,
commission conden1ning allow ances for
industrial railways and terminal roads
for switching purposes. Indications now
are that this issue of "allowances'' is
going to loom up as the big thing in
connection with the demand for more
revenue. It is an entirely new phase
of the case, something apparently not
thought of before and certainly its
magnitude was not known.
Plead For More Revenue.
The advanced rate case is bottomed
on the showing made by the railroads
that in order to keep up repairs, make
extensions and maintain the credit of
the compa MES. they must have more
revenue, since they know Of no way
of reducing expenses.
But here comes the interstate COM
-,
quiry into allowances to short lines of
railroads serving industries. The sub.
stance of the finding was that as to
railroads in eastern territory these al
lowances aggregate not less than s15,-
100000 annually, that they are in eff
feet rebates or concessions, hence con-
trary to the law, and should be ADAM
doned.
The stopping up of one leakage hole
thru which sl5.000,000 has been getting
away each year, it is pointed out, might
have some effect on the claim Of the
railroads for raise in freight rates to
secure forty millions more revenue.
The relation Of this question of al
lowances to the freight rate advance
question was pointed out by the COM
mission itself in its decision, when re-
ferring to the railroads 1t said:
Before they may fairly ask the gem
eral public to share further in carry
ing their burdens, it is manifest that
the railroads must themselves properly
conserve their sources Of revenue by
making every service performed con-
tribute reasonably to their earnings
Opposition Pronounced.
It has been found that the CppoSition
to the advanced rates IS much more
pronounced than seemed at first. The
heavy shippers of the country have
been making very vigorous protests
against the increases. At first there
was an apparent general acquiesence
in the proposed increase and, for in
stance the Chicago chamber Of COM
meTce which helped to make the previ-
Gus fight against a raise, closed it's
ears to all discussion and resolved in
favor Of an increase now. But ell the
recent trend has been in the direction
Of opposition.
One thing to be considered at Wash
ington is as to the attitude Of the ad-
miniStration. The railroads have been
claiming that the influence Of the ad-
mlnistration was for an increase in
rates; but it is now asserted that the
two new men just named to go on the
interstate commerce commission are
men who would mostly likely op-
pose any increase. These new men
have not as yet been confirmed, the
senate taking time for investigate as
to their qualifications, as both are COM
paratively unknown men.
The hearings on complaints as to in
Industries - -ef
completed and 1t will be some time be-
fore the commission is ready to hear
| evidence Of general nature in reply
tc the claims put forth by the rail-
, reads to the need Of higher rates.