Evening star., 1914-06-05
Arguments Against an Extra
Fare on Washington-Rock-
vile Electric Road.
"HAM THEORY ON RATES"
SUBJECT OF CRITICISM
Attorneys Before !. C. c. Question
Statements Made by Vice Presi-
dent of W. R. & E. Company.

William F. Ham. vice president of the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany, and delivering blow at what is
termed the Ham theory of rates. the
brief of the complainants in the Somerset,
Nd, rate case was filed with the inter-
state commerce commission today. This
case. begun by the citizens of Somerset.
involves the attempt of the railroad to
collect an extra cash fare from the Dis
trict line to Somerset. Md, whereas pas
sengers are now carried from any point
in the District to Somerset for ) cents Or
one car ticket. The Washington and
Rockville Railway Company is the de
fendant. The brief is signed by Attorneys
John B. Daish. Charles S. Moore and Will
liam D. Shoemaker.
The brief saws that if the railroad relies
on the Maryland law affecting the rates
on the Rockville line, wherein the zones
are prescribed. the law is unconstitu-
tioHal. THAT they were not intended to
affect interstate commerce follows from
the provisos in each" according to the
6. brief In fact, the provisos specifically
grant authority to the Washington and
Rockville to apparently violate other pro-
visions of the public service commission
law by authorizing and permitting the
hauling OF passengers between Somerset
and the District line free of charge"
1t is also charged that the second at
tempt to justify the proposed new rates
to Somerset is the Ham theory of rates,
which, to the extent questions were
asked. is repeated mechanically by the
two other witnesses for respondents.
MeSsrS- Hayden and Rich. respectively
passenger agent and superintendent of
the Washington-Nirginia railway
Determination of Distance.
Further. dealing with this so-called
Ham theory of rates. the attorneys say
that although having the opportunity
and power to make weighted average
to determine the distance the Somerset
passenger rides. no such work has been
undertaken. Certain through cars run
to 9TH and + streets, and therefore it
does not make any difference whether
they get off before reaching that point
or not. and. as to distances lying wholly
within the District of Columbia, We do
not care anything about 1t, one way OF
another. The exponent of the
Ham theory does not know about trans
portation conditions on the roads whose
fares he uses for comparative purposes.
and when he does know about the con-
ditions of the Washington and Rock
vile line he fails to describe them. The
two assenters of the theory (Hayden and
Rich confess no knowledge of the op-
Grating conditions. no knowledge of the
amount of service: one admits making
no comparison for the present proceed
ing; the other, who has always been
an urban, admits his lack of study OF
conditions. general or special. yet as
sumes to speak for the public. Again
the exponent of the theory says he has
no knowledge of the size of the places
to and from which the rates on other
roads apply. Perhaps his Information
would be of no value here, inasmuch as
neither volume of traffic. nor operating
conditions. nor grades and curves, nor
distance are of importance The exact
~,1t,, 80 L.
voked.
There are some categorical answers
expressing the unsupported statements
statements not so made to be properly
dignified with the term 'opinions'-in
words that the present rates are unrea-
sonably low. and that the proposed rates
would be reasonable. There are no facts
on which to predicate such statements,
no basis whereon to rest such thoughts,
if even real thoughts they be-
Discusses Rate Theory.
After reviewing more of the testimony
bearing on this so-called rate theory, the
brief continues: The Ham theory does
not end here. With great show of
earnestness, it is insisted that the great
er the fare to a suburban place. the
greater DEVELOPMENT A second-fars zone
always has better development than a
onc-fare zone.
I'm short, the Ham theory of rates is
as follows: The mathematical process OF
subtraction is proof of the reasonable
ness of rates; II is not necessary to show
the circumstances and conditions OF
transportation; the volume of traff1c ana
other transportation conditions are wholly
unnecessary; distance Is not an element
one way or the other, the size OF the
n,aces served is of no Importance; cate
gorical replies sufficiently serve to ex-
press views on reasonableness of rates,
and, finally, the greater the fare the bet
ter for the community
Calling attention to the lack OF evi-
dence adduced by the railroad, the brief
saws ii is doubtful If there ever was a
hearing where the carriers produced SO
little evidence.
tion and examination of the roads OF
the respondents" says the brief. "and
of other roads in the vicinity; with
facts and figures probably at hand
with records showing the enect On the
CARRIERS of a former advance the same
as now proposed; with knowledge ot
the amount of traffic. of the cost OF
performing the service; with at least
three months for preparation OF the
case. the respondents leave this COM
mission with naught but an interminabie
mass of confusing and irrelevant tables
of distances and fares.
Tables Chased as Valueless.
with no OIn6f 1dCtS dH0 ooiAi
stances these are as valueless as the
rates and mileages on the Cape te
Cairo route. All the relevant and ma
terial facts and circumstances neces-
sary to a proper understanding were
within the knowledge or obtainable by
the respondents; 1t was their duty te
present them. More significant, if pos
sible, is the absence of any showing
concerning the remunerative or unre'
munerative features of the present OF
the proposed rates of fare. save those
deducible from the reports Of the
washington Railway and Electric, the
parent company"
The brief further says that the effec
on the market value Of protestants
homes. the doubling Of the fare per pas
senger, the retarding of improvements
the diminution of traffic. all bespeak TO
the continuance of the one fare. 1t fur
ther says that the present growth OF tn
places were begun and continued undel
the one fare.
Declaring that the respondents hav
failed to sustain the burden of proc
tplaced on them by the law to justify tn
increases the complainant's attorney
tsked that the proposed new rate be can