The Pensacola journal., 1914-12-19
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS


Washington, Dec. 1S.-Increases in
| freight rates approximating five per
cent on all the railroads between the
Atlantic Seaboard and the Mississippi,
! north of the Potomac and Ohio rivers
were granted today by the interstate
! commerce commission in a divided
opinion excepting upon certain heavy
commodities which comprise a large
bulk of the traffic.
The increases will further apply to
| the railroads west of Buffalo and
/ Pittsburg, which were granted partial
| advances in the decision of last Au-
gust which denied them altogether to
the roads east of those points
| It is estimated the advanced rates
will increase the annual income OF
the roads about 30,OOO,O 600 The COM
! mission made it's decision upon the
showing of the roads that in addition
to conditions from which they pre-
viOusly asked relief they now are con-
fronted with an emergency because
of the war in Europe
While President Wilson issued no
statement White House officials said
ne was greatly pleased over the de-
cision and expected it would have an
! immediate effect upon the country's
economic situation.
MAJORITY OPINION.
With Commissioners Harlan and
Clements dissenting, the majority of
the commission declared:
Whatever the consequences OF the
war may prove to be, we must recog-
niZe the fact that It exists; the fact
that it is a calamity without prece-
dent, and fact that by it the commerce
of the world has been disarranged and
h int
transportation are fundamental and in
dispensible agencies in our industrial
life and for the common veal should
be kept abreast of public require /
ments"
Summarizing the basis of its de-
cision, the majority report Of the COM
mission said:
1.-The facts disclosed and occur !
rences originating subsequently to !
May %, 1914, as presented at the fur /
ther hearing may be summarized un-
der three heads-first completed re-
turns for the fiscal year ending June ,
so. 1914, and returns for succeeding /
months; second, the war In Europe |
and third, results Of the original or
der.
when these cases were originally |
submitted, az also when the original |
report was prepared the revenue and |
expenditure account for June, 1914, and |
the property investment account for !
that fiscal year, were not available the .
war was unforeseen, and the results of .
our order were, of course, yet to come.
Collectively they present a new situa
ton"
The decision says:
while We differ as to the relative
Importance to be attached to the va
rious considerations presented, we
agree in the conclusion that, by vir-
tue of the provisions obtained at pres
ent, 1t is necessary that the carriers
revenues be supplemented by increases
throughout official classification terri
tory. Whatever the consequences of ,
the war may prove to Ge We must rec
ognize the fact that it exists, the fact
that II is a calamity without prece-
dent, and the fact that by it the
commerce of the world has been dis
arranged and thrown into confusion.
The means Of transportation are fun
damental and Indispensable agencies
in our Industrial lie and for the COM
mon veal should be kept abreast Of
public requirements.
THE original report, besides apprOv-
ing a rate increase in central freight
territory, suggested ten
/
carriers throughout official classifica-
ton territory; the present report rec
ognizIng the existence of a new situa-
ton since July 29, acquiesces in ter
ritorial extension of the relief granted
to the central freight association lines
by permitting the carriers to file tar
ifs, providing. with certain exceptions
specified herein for horizontal rate in
creases in official classification terri
tory It is expected that the con-
structive work suggested in the origi-
nal report for the purpose Of conserv-
'ng and augmenting the next revenues
of the carriers generally will be car
rHed forward without interruption.
Carriers will be required to keep an
account Of the additions to their reve-
nues from increases in rates subse-
quent to July 20, 1914, and from new '
charges and TO report separately
thereon to the commission at the end
of twelve and twenty-four months. re- Z
spectively."
After stating the exceptions, the de-
cision proceeds:
I'm our original report we declined,
for reasons there stated. to allow in l
creased rates in central freight asso-