The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-12-18
great fail in price.

cial problems Of the carriers have
been made much more acute by res
son Of the war and II We are to set
rates that will afford reasonable re
enumeration, we must give considera.
ton to the increased hire Of capital
as well as to other Increased costs.
1.-THE suggestions made in our orig
| inal report, of methods whereby to In
crease net revenues were not suscept'
| ible OF being put into immediate open
alton or calculated to produce 1mme-
diate financial results. The period
which has since elapsed has been en-
tirely too short for either purpose.
Some testimony was offered on what
had bean done or undertaken In line
with these suggestions and estimates
were made by trafic officials as to
the annual yield to be expected. These
estimates were not based upon any
accounting computation and can al
ford little guide as to what the re-
suits will prove to be-"
The original report besides the ap.
proving of rate increase. suggested
| ten sources OF additional revenue.
| The present report. recognizing the
existence OF a new situation since
July 29-acquesces In territorial ex-
tension Of relief granted by permit
| ting the carriers to file tariffs provid-
ing with certain exceptions for hori-
zontal rate Increases In omcial clas-
sincation territory.
TT is expected the constructive
work suggested In the original report
for the purpose OF concerning and
augmenting the net revenue of,@the
carriers generally will be carried for
ward without interruption"
The commission did not grant In
creases on rail-lake and lake-and-rail
rates, 1t Is said, because the rail car
riers as owners OF lake lines have n
ready Increased freight rates.
The prevailing rates on bituminous
coal and coke, the commission said.
ARE remunerative and the financial
condition Of the principal bituminous
coal carriers is in marked contrast
with that OF many other OF the car.
riers.
twice IN the not distant past, the
rates on bituminous coal have been
Increased Ave cents 4 ton and would
seem now to be as high as may fairly
be allowed" the commission said.
4 Increases on. anthracite coal and
iron were denied, largely because
they are both used in revenues In
other proceedings" the commission
said.
Interstate rates to and from New
England, from and to points in trunk
line or central freight association ter
ritory where necessary to preserve
established relationships between
points or ports IN New England and
points or ports in trunk line territory,
may be increased not to exceed hvs
percent" said the commission.
Subject to the maintenance Of the
established Atlantic port diff,rentials,
| rates to and from Now York may be
increased not to exceed 6 percent and
rates to and from Portland. Boston
| Phila0eiphia and Baltimore may be
increased to the extent necessary to
maintain said diRerentials."
In dissenting Commissioner Glenn
ents said he regarded the action OF
the commission 'as out Of harmony
with the spirit and purpose OF the
law, and as taking step that leads
away from the sound principles neces-
| sary to conserve the ends Of Justice.
Carriers have right to earn all they
can on business which they can Sc
cure at just and reasonable rates. The
right of shipper to protection
against the exactfon Of rates unreas-
onably high for the service performed
1 is equally sacred.
81 am not aware" said Clements.
"of any prior case in which this COM
mission or any court has held that the
need by carrier OF money was of It
self proof of the reasonableness OF a
specific rate or body Of rates increased
to meet such need. II the executive
body OF the commission is as broad
and restrictive as this, then must
confess ! have gravely misunderstood
limitations upon our statutory author
fty. as well as constitutional power Of
CONTINUED on page 3D.