Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-11-21
WOULD HAVE STUDENTS OF
STATE STUDY FREIGHT
RATES.
Jack Love ADVANCES IDEA
Many overcharges Would Be
Unnecessary Under the
New Plan.

Special 10 The World
OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov 20,-Tho
high schools and colleges of Oklahoma
makers as well as farmers, merchants,
lawyers and doctors If Jack Love,
chairman OF the Oklahoma corpora
ton commission has his way. Chair
man Love stated today that he Is pre-
pairing to address letters 10 each high
school and higher educational institu-
ton of the state, urging that they
adopt as a part of their courses Of
study instruction i'm the making and
adjustment Of freight rates.
The idea evolved by Colonel Love is
entirely new iu oklahoma, as no
course of study attempts 10 coach the
young idea In the intracaCios Of the
railroad tariff sheet Chairman Love
stated today that SO far as he knows
no state In the union requires its
schools to teach rate making
The idea of Chairman Love is not
TO train youths especially to fill places
of rate experts but to give the next
generation in oklahoma general
knowledge Of railroad rates, their ap-
pltcation and adjustment which
Chairman Love says is all Greek to
the aN erago citizen.
No Intentions 10 Defraud.
Chairman Love first secured the i'm
preston that a general knowledge OF
railroad freight rates is desirable from
the fact that thousands Of dollars Of
over charges on freight arc reported
to the corporation commission each
year. The corporation since 1t began
adjusting freight charges has rebated
to the public on an average of $500
q day in excess charges, according 20
Colonel Love, This Is not because the
railroads have any intention of charS-
ing more freight than their tariff
sheets call for. but is due to the in
tricacios Of railroad tariffs, especially
on interstate rates, and to the failure
Of many agents TO understand the ta-
hles of charges furnished them by the
railroad company according to Col
Uncl Love.
Each railroad agent has to put up
bond to secure the railroad com
pauy against loss by reason of his
failure to properly handle the finan-
Cial business of the company at the
station where he is located" said
Chairman Love. "If the agent cannot
figure out a rate correctly for the
shipper and has any doubt about the
amount he naturally gives the rail
road company the benefit Of the
doubt and sees to IT that the rate
charged is not too low. This accounts
for the fact that there are many more
overchargos than undercharEos. These
excessive charges do not arise i'm most
cases from a desire to hold up the
shipper, but through general ignor.
ance of freight rates on the part OF
some agents as well as Of the general
public.
Supply Freight Rates.
"If each student in nigh school
or college were instructed in rate
making and charges, in few years
the public would know enough about
rates TO be able to protect Itself and
there would be few railroad agents
who would not also understand the
subject. | also favor the enactment
of a law by congress to require rail-
roads to publish and furnish to all
who may apply copies of their freight
tariffs. At present shippers are un-
able to get hold Of tariff sheets and
must get their information from the
station agents. The railroads should
also be required to make their tariffs
more simple, so that they could be
more easily understood by the agents
and the general public.
Chairman Love pointed out that il
costs the state and the railroads as
well many thousand dollars each year
to refund monies collected in over
charges. lie believes that education
Of agents and the public to a point
where excess charges would be re-
2uced to a minimum would not only
benefit the public and the state, but