South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-11
The Farmer and Farm Inter-
eStS Win Great Victory Over
Railroads in the Com
missions Report.
CARLOAD RATES ON
GRAIN NOT JUSTIFIED
Two Members Dissent in Ma
jOrity 0piniOn-AdvanCe
on Hay and Straw Is
Allowed.
WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON. Aug. II. - The
farmer and farm interests today won
a big victory over the railroads. The
interstate commerce commission hand
ed down its decision in the western
rate advance case and granted but
few OF the railroads proposed in
creases. The proposed advances in
grain, grain products, livestock ana
packing house products-the biggest
on the list, were denied.
Commissioners Harlan and Daniels
dissented from the majority opinion.
The commission reported its lind
ings as follows:
Proposed increased carload rates
on gram and grain products consid-
cred as one commodity not justified.
Proposed increases from 10000
pounds u 10000 pounds in the min
mum carload weight of grain pro-
oucts justified.
Proposed increased carload rates
on packing house products and fresh
points on the Missouri river, not JUS
uned.
Livestock Rate sticks.
Proposed increased carload rates
on livestock, not justified.
Proposed increased carload rates
on fertilizer and fertilizer materials,
not JUSTIFIED.
Proposed increased rates on BIZ
luminous coal, eXcLet as 10 South
Dakota points, justihed. The rates on
coke here proposed which are the
same as on coal, justified.
proposed increased rates on brew
ers' rice and less than carload rates
on domestic rice, justified.
Proposed increased rates on broom
corn, not justified.
Proposed increased rates and pro-
posed increases in carload minimum
from gulf ports, justified.
Proposed increased carload rates
on hay and straw, where not in eX-
cess of class c, justified.
Proposed increases in any quantity
rates on cotton piece goods, and pro-
posed in carload rates from points in
Texas, not justified"
FaVOrs PhOmpt Action.
Commissioner Harlan in dissenting
from the majority opinion declares
that too much time and labor are
expended in these recurring rate con-
tests and some way should be found
under legislative authority for arrfD-
ing at results moro promptly than is
now possible under our present pow
ers and practices. The commission
should have authority as we have
often pointed out, TO fix the minimum
as well as the maximum rate"
Commissioners Harlan also asserts
that intrastate railroads should be
made to bear a portion Of the burden
now carried by interstate railroads.
Harlan advocates uniformity of inter
and intrastate rates.
The effective date of the commits
sion's order as TO both the cancelled
and approved rates is September 80,
next.
Increase Asked.
The western advance rate case-the
second big railroad rate case Of the
year involving additional revenues for
the carriers estimated at from ten to
one hundred million dollars annually
came into being when the roads Oper-
ating between the Mississippi river,
the Rocky mountains, the gulf of Mex
leo and the Canadian boundary last
fall filed tariffs with the interstate
commerce commission naming in
creased transportation charges. These
increases ranged from two or three
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWELVE.)