The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-04
WESTERN R ALWAYS
WANT RATE INCRE ASF.

taDllshlng more equitable relation
OF rates by advancing these Whicl.
We're too low q
After describing the nature OF each
advance and stating that figures Gem
onstrat1ng the needs of the carriers
.Moulu De submitted, the attorney
said in part. 90 -
The evidence in relation to the
speclnc les on the commodities
advances will. We believe, show that
iltn l advances have been made upon
rue. W men We're both actually ana
relatively too low.
ing the advances asked by the ear
lfiers in 1910. the commission had
before It the returns Of one Of the
most most favorable years for the carriers.
put that the commission made this
statment: If the time does
come, when. through changed con-
3dit1ons. 1T may be shown that their
Tears are realized. or approch reali-
zat1on, and from a survey or the
whole field of operations, there is
evidence of a movement which makes
against the security and lasting val
ne OF legitimate Investment and an
adequate return upon the values OF.
these properties. this commission
will not hesitate to give its sanction
to increases which will be reason
able s5 5
We believe that it will be DEM.
onstrated that the carriers position
is not as favorable as was anticf-
pated by the commission in 1910.
and by no means as favorable as it.
actually was then. and that the fears!
of the carriers have been more than.
realized.
Back Of these advances is the
conviction of the carriers that they
need increased revenue, but in ac-
complishlng that increase in reve-5
nue.. the carriers have exercised their
best Judgment as to the commodities
on which the rates should be adj
and have attempted. by the
advances proposed, to estah lisn
fairer relation of the rates - be-
tween different commodities.
The comparison OF revenues ana
expenses will be made, covering two
periods. one, the seven years 10 OF %
1907, inclusive, and the other from
1908 to 1914, inclusive The lat
ter period commences with the re-
vised, uniform system OF railroad
accounts as prescribed by the inter
Iate commerce. commission. and Gov
ers 81 bstantially the period during
which this commission has had tie
power to authoritatively fix maxi
mum rates. The results OF the opera
tion OF each yearS5will be given sep
arately, and the general comparison
will indicate a decreasing ratio OF.
return upon Investment IN road and
equipment. not only as between the
two periods compared. but as be-
tween comparable years in the lat
ter period. II; Will show that the ops
Grafton ratio Is increasing, and
that there has been a very large ad-
dition to the properties Of the car
riers. Ell. h ..sS
This complication will show that
the net operating income OF the car
riers interested In this proceeding.
for the average Of the last seven.
years has not earned what the,
courts held to be a fair rate of re-
turn upon their properties, when con-
sidering the question Of confscation
OF property on an amount to exceed
thousand dollars per
mile OF road operated. g
The records of the Interstate
commerce commission show that the
carriers in the territory involved.
have been called upon to; invest In
their properties, by way OF additions
and abetterments. more than one hun
dred million dollars agar during the
last seYen years, and yet s their net
revenues are but sli ghtlYshigher than
they were during the prior seven
years. In othe ords. that there
lis no substantial return upon the
new which has been made,
during the last seven years
Il vii also be dempnstratedfg from
the compilati ions of CURES which
will be presented that IA dition-
1alSinvest nsnt Dad ana seanipmenr