Arizona republican., 1914-05-24
MEDICATION . 0F MR. JONES
Globe Traffic Association Makes Reply to a Recent Attack Upon Member of the State Corporation Commission
To the Editor of The Republican.

it is stated "Commissioner Jones was also personally and privately working un q similar case for the Globe mer chants instead of having it performed through the reparation bureau of the corporation commission" Tne question is then asked whether the Globe ship pers would have engaged MT. Jones to handle their case had they known that the commission was doing such work.
 There being no one else qualified to reply to this query except the Globe shippers who are camplainants in the cases pending we assume that fair play and justice requires that they answer the question and that it be given the same publicity as the statement was given
 Mir. Jones has neither privately or personally worked up case for the Globe shippers as inferred. The Globe shippers were fully informed by Mr. Jones himself that the commission would handle their cases and that he personally would give them his best efforts in event the shippers elected to ask the commission to do it. The Globe shippers, for reasons they deemed good, neither wanted nor asked the commission to handle their work but did ask and insist that MT. Jones plan and supervise their complaints be- fore the federal commission.
 movement looking to the organiZa- tion of what is now the Graham X Gila County Traffic association was started nearly year ago and soon after the commission established class rates which govern our through rates. About the same time the commission approved rates for the Ray X Gila Valley R. R. said to be higher than rates that com pany had petitiOned for We are re- liably informed that MT. Jones opposed the rates adopted.
 It was the intention of the promoters of the traffic association to secure out side aid in correcting interstate rates and for this purpose q member went to San Francisco. He was informed there that in MT Jones the state had an able rate man. The member came to Phoe- nix and learning that MT Jones was in there and met Mir Jones for the first time and stated their case. Mir Jones said the commission would take up the matter and that he would give it his best attention. Later by invitation Mr. Jones visited Globe and renewed his offer on behalf of the commission, in the presence Of the principal directors and officers. Mir Jones was informed that if he declined to act the associa- tion would look elsewhere; that the association would handle it's affairs in dependent of the commission. This in brief is the history Of nego- tiatiOns. We insist that we have a right to go direct to the interstate com merce commission in seeking an adjust | ment of rates over which the state commission have no jurisdiction There are many things the state commission can and should do in state rate mat | ters. We invite their attention to the 1 hay and grain rates in Graham and l Cila counties. Whether the tax payers 1 of the state approve of the state | financing the work of the state com- mission prosecuting individuals claims while local rates remain at their pres ent standard is an open question We have not asked it.
 We see no impropriety in any mem- Der of the state commission directing | if he is able. the prosecution of a rate case wherein jurisdiction rests with the federal commission, particularly if | his efforts are directed towards getting relief from extortionate rates, impro-
 priety might be charged if he should work for the opposite result
 The state commission could have
 given the Globe division some relief
 in the matter of class rates The print
 ed rate sheet sent out by the commis- sion to newspapers and many shippers
 indicated that rates to Globe would be reduced on merchandise to:
 Cents ............5s ''''''''''Ia 4s A 3: and on carloads:
 Class .... ..5 A B C D F
 Cents .. .. .29 % 23 19 T. 1;
 The rates actually put into effect by Commissioners Geary and Cole and. a.
 we are informed under the protest ot ! MT. Jones were:
 Class Il 3 , A B c D | | Cents 70 60 49 A A. 40 2S 21 IS 1. In 1909 when NJ O. Bicknell was
 member of the old railroad commission he asked the railroads to publish tn,
 rates shown below. Mir. Bicknell wa!
 formerly general freight agent of thi!
 line and is credited with being a goot
 The railroad commission was withou
 the power conferred on the corporation
 commission else these rates would hay,
 gone in ] years ago:
 Class II 3 , A E C D I Gents .56 51 47 42 33 36 31 2S 25 9
 In order that our position and pur pose may be entirely clear it is nee ! esSary' to say that without any re
 quest, or consulting us the state com
 mission injected themselves into ou proceedings by filing, at the expense 0
 the state, intervening petitions. w
 wrote the commission individually an,
 collectively protesting against this un l heard of procedure. We have conf
 dence in the ability and integrity of F
 A. Jones for which reason we sough ! his service.
 Graham X Gila County Traffic Asso citation.
 w s LOVE