The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-12
Carriers Wanted S7.6O+,OOO,
but Additional Revenue VIII
BE Only $1,000, 900.
FEW ITEMS AFFECTED

should he permitted not ~grudginsly
but with such fair measure OF allow
ance as will indicate that the transpor-
tatiOn industry Is entitled In the IN
terest of the public 10 earnings sum-
Gent to provide u service commen-
surate with public needs.
Again Commissioner Daniels says:
While 1t is nowhere explicitly stated
in the majority report, ! am unable 10
escape the conviction that the refuc-
lance to fnd that increased rates
have been more generally Just'ncu
In largely rooted in an unwillingness
to And that the revenues OF The car
riers AZ "A whole are smaller than Is
demanded In the public interest M
also in the belief hat the financial
e%xigcnces Of many OF the carriers are
traceable to financial maladministra-
ton and that II due economy ana IN.
tegrity had been uniformly observed
the difficulty over the attested decline
in revenues would nave been readily
surmounted.
Talks Of Wreck aud PLUMBER.
Among the particular carriers in
VOWED In his proceeding the Rock
Island and the Frisco nave recently
ttained unenviable notoric,y by rea-
son of financial acknowledgement. and
other roads parties hereto. such MS
the Alton, have In the past been
wrecked or ~plundered. There can be
no question Of these facts.
There can he nothing said In OK
tenuation or mitigation OF them. and
II has therefore resulted that q wide
spread disbelief exists In the general
Integrity Of railroad management. and
that a sceptical attitude has been as
sumed by many toward the plea ad-
yanced that railroad earnings are
Inadequate and that increased rates
are warranted.
II would, nevertheless. ppea that
While the scverest condemnation OF
these practices should suner no par
ticle of abatement. the time has at
last come to take "A discriminating
view of the eTec, OF reusing rate
increases Otherwise just and reisona-
BILE because of a widespread resent
ment at evils pcrpetrated In the past
by dishonest or designing railroad Of
acers or their alliei financiers. Such
n policy visits I'm large measure the
same penalty upon the proprietors or
a railway conducted with integrity
and honesty AS upon the luckless
shareholders Of II looted road.
In either case those who suner from
its effects are not those VINO nave
profted by the wrongs perpetrated in
the past. II is therefore suggested
that the appropriate remedy Is the
prosecution and punishment OF the
Individual offenders. not the continued
withholding Of adequate rates to the
carriers as "A whole.
Commissioner Harlan also dtssentet
! holding that the railroads were entitle
10 tn. Increases.
Much interest was manifested In tn
attitude Of Commissioncr Harlan, wh
was in favor OF granting the roads pei
mission to increase their rates on all IN
principal items.
TOO much time and labor are eN
! pended in these recurring rate contests.
h said. land some way should be foun
under legislative authority for arrivin
at results more promptly than Is no
possible under our present powers an
practices. M sincere efforts OF ca
' riers toward "A fair and a non-discrimir
| ator> rate adjustment often fail b.
, cause OF the necessity Of submitting
the rates and practices initiated b
weaker and more circuitous lines
| their pursuit OF traffic"
The carriers in this proceeding. AS dl
the railroads in the Eastern advan,
ate case. based their claims for add
tional upon the grounds OF the
financial needs and the downward tent
ency OF their net earnings. They col
tended that the commodities named b
them were not bearing the equitable pa
of the costs of transportation.