Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-02-17
Objections, Based On
MiSconception OF
Facts

The railroads of Arkansas were movaa 70 b.,
their case the people in the matter of the wo-oo..
passenger and the necessity for the resoration
OF the three-cent rate because the railroads h,;
in the fairness of the people and because tho vail
roads want the people informed the railroad ta
of this question The railroads realize That ~
though the legislature might favor the RESTORATION -
the three-cent rate legislators could hardl, mo ~,
pected to restore the rate unless there was deman,
from the people for it's restoration. II was but nat
ura for the legislators to want the people informed
on the matter before action was taken
The railroads began their campaign by STATING
in articles, which have appeared in newspapers ov
the entire state that the closest scrutiny of all sae
mens invited and that if any miss1atement was
made the people should call attention it, No mis-
statements have been made and no citizen has oues.
toned the statements made but there is & msappre
hension on certain points and the railroads desire IN
clear up these points.
There is an impression in the minds of some cti
zens that the United States Supreme Court decided
that the two-cent passenger rate not coniscatoy
and was compensatory. This is an error The Sl.
preme Court Of the United States decided neither Of
these points.
In the rate cases the sole question at issue was
whether not the rates applied to the bust
ness solely were remuneratve. The court held that
in order to determine this question or TO justify
in holding that the not remuneratve
was incumbent upon the railroad companies to make
an accurate division of operating expenses as be.
tween state and interstate traffic. The court held
in the before it the carriers had this
division with sufficient certainty. The difficulty Of
making such division is that both and inter-
state goods and passengers carried the
trains, the tracks and handled in the
depots by the employees. No method has yet
been devised by the or commissions which
will accurately divide the expense chargeabe
class of traffic The court did not sustain the two
cent passenger rate being reasonable.
In several of the cases before it, the Supreme
. Court of the United States found that the carriers
making such small returns that the two-cent
passenger rate was unreasonable no matter how the
expenses were divided.
Another argument that has been put forward is
that all suffering and that the railroads are
merely suffering with other business account Of
the and the industrial depression growing out
Of it. Those making this argument overlook the fact
that the railroads suffered from the two-cent rate
during normal conditions and finally forced to
appeal to the people for relief. The merely i'm
posed additional burdens
There is another element, though s!aal one
chat takes the position that it is all right for the rail
roads to suffer long as the private citizen is get
ting the benefit This is a short-sghted view, be-
cause the private citizen suffers when the RAILROADS
suffer. The private citizen saves a few dimes
through the two-cent rate and loses many dollars
because of the effect many lines of business and
trade resultant from enforced economies by the rail-
roads
The railroads ask for relief bechuse they believe
IN the justice ofther and because they believe
he people will the justice of their cause Uhes'
rellef is given, there is disaster ahead for the raf
roads and this means increased troubles for many
people who only indirectly interested in the rail-
roads,
Write to your representatives in the Legislature
and ask them to vote for restoration of the three
cent rate.
THE RAILROADS OF ARKANSAS.
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