The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-31
stale Opposition 10 Rate Advances.

stale Opposition to rate Advances.
After having issued u statement In
sinuating that the Eastern railroads
were now engaged In dlSharging work
men by the thousands In order to
stampede the Interstate Commerce
Commission into granting mn increase
In freight rates Mr.. CilrroRr THoBNE
appeared before the Interstate Com
mcre Commission yesterday to repent
testimony given a fortnight ago charg.
ing the railroads with padding their
operating expenses In order to supnor;
their appeal for rate increases. The
exhibition Of unreason which the In
terstate Commerce Commission thus
sanctioned Is about the most astonish-
ing feature so far in an astoni shing
case.
Mr.. THoRNE Is chairman Of the Iowa
State Railroad Commi s,Aon and was
chosen as a representative Of eight
such State commissions to ventilate
the views which he has set forth. 1t
seems that he goes back for his imag gin
ings a quarter Of a century to the days
Of Governor LARRABEE Of Iowa. one Of
the famous anti-railroad crusaders Of
the past generation. Admitting all the
mi staken policies Of railroad manage
ments In that forgotten era. what have
they to do with the present situation?
Mr.. THORNE's conception OF conditions
to-day contains about as much help for
the solution OF the pressing problem as
fossil fish would afford satisfaction
Of hunger.
His testimony, or rather his argu-
ment. yesterday was embroidered with
illusions to the Indispensable necessity
Of physical valuation before the Inter
state Commerce Commission could
Justly determine whether or not the
railroads should have their rates ad-
vanced. According to official estimates
1t will probably be six years before the
valuation which Congress has ordered
Is completed, but has II occurred TO
Mr.. THoRNE and those whom he repre-
sents that the Interstate Commerce
Commission without the assistance OF
physical valuation has for years pre-
sumed TO order freight rates reduced?
II physical valuation has not been
necessary TO the regulation Of rates
downward 1t is not necessary to regu-
lation Of rates upward.
Asa matter Of fact the whole process
OF physical valuation belongs In the
category OF archaeological research. 1t |
has about as much to do with the |
requirements OF the railroads as exca-
walton in the ruins Of Troy. All the
opinion which Mr.. THoRSr represents
Is as futile to settle the important !,
question with which the Interstate
Commerce Commission has been tri- |
fling ms the suspicion Of the conduct Of I
the railroad Arrangements is stale.
The opposition Of the Thornes and ,
the Brandeises which the railroads are
encountering in their effort 70 save the
country from the disa ster that impends |
II rates are not made sufficient to allow |
reasonable margin over expenses Is a .
hostility which ia adding to the dan.
gers Of the moment. II threatens to
breed state of discoura cement In rail
road Arrangements which may end in
decentralization. and when demoral,za-
ton begins at the top Of railroad ser
vice 1t will run fearful course all the
way through the ranks.
II It 10 only to. entertain the suspi-
cions Of Thorne and the theories of n
Brandeis that the Interstate Commerce
Commission Is prolonging it's inquiry in
the Eastern rate case, and 80 post
pOning the decision. delay is inexcusa.
bic. So complete has, Government reg
ulation become that the operation of
the railroads Is now all but In the
hands Of the public authorities. There
is nothing to be feared. according to
the nominal owners of railroad prop
erty, from the measure Of decent treat
ment which the returns of railroad
earnings supervised by the Interstate
Commerce Commission itself. have de.
monstrated TO be indispensable.
The commission knows that the rail
roads cannot earn enough money on
the basis OF their present rates. 1t
knows that the railroads must get more
money or give less service. II knows
that the solution Of the problem IL to
recognize a principle OF expansion as
well as Of contraction in the rate
structure.