Cheyenne record., 1915-07-22
PAIR PASSENGER RATES.

oOAO pSoPASs LII OAS
PAIR PASSENGER RATES. !.
Our western state legislatures have
made . hopeless muddle Of the rall
roads demands for increased passen-
ger fares, because legislative bodies
cannot intelligenuy decide admins
trative questions. Only investigation
and study can settle the reasonable
ness or unreasonableness of the ad-
vances asked for. 1t is proper for
the legislatures to say that the rail-
roads shall be regulated, but experts
must do the actual regulating.
After perfunctory audiences, the
legislatures of the various states,
without any reliable or accepted fig
ures, have stiled the railroads de-
mands in committee or on the floor,
Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa. Minnesota,
Nebraska, North and South Dakota
and Michigan have provided regulat.
ing commissions and the legislatures
themselves have ample powers OF in
vestigation, yet not in a single in
stance have the questions been re-
ferred. to a responsible agent.
Indications are that. the passenger
business is not bearing its fair share
of the costs and that the Illinois man
ufacturer is right in asserting that
the shippers have been bearing an
extra burden. Density OF population
makes passenger traffic and 1t fol.
lows that the heavier the traffic the
lighter the cost per unit of transpor-
tation. Illinois, With a population OF
491 per mile of railroad, subscribcs
lower tariffs than eight eastern states
with population Of 1896 per mile.
The interstate commerce commission
recently allowed the eastern carriers
an increase to az cents per mile, and
the supreme court Of Pennsylvania,
considering a population Of 704 per
mile, held the cent law confisca-
tory.
Figures compiled by the Pennsyl-
vania lines east Of Pittsburgh reflect
the operating results of all steel
trains, daylight lirliteds, monumental
terminals, and the competitive condi-
tions Of the passenger business. In
1903, Sc per cent Of the dollar earned
ny paSScuScI "SAI " pay pdo-
senger operating expenses. In 1910
it had swollen to 80 per cent, end In
1912 to 9S per cent. The freight ratio
in the same period stood steady at 70
per cent. The comparative net earn
ings OF the three years follow:
nue.. e........ .sssno,6so $s4,7ls,ss2 2o,2ol,oe4
reVenue.:: 7s4,o69 a,l0alo7 ll,oo4,ssl
Net revenue
per p1ssen-
mile .......2S cents 40 cents ST. cents
But the rate question has not been
settled, and our western states are
confronted with the paradox of &C.
cepting the final decision from the
federal courts or from the interstate
commerce commission. II the western
roads succeed in establishing the 2h
cents mile basis on interstate traf-
fc, as seems likely from the situa-
tion in the east, the question of dis
elimination will be raised Immediate
ly as q result OF ihe lower intrastate
fare Commercial interests will not
tolerate conflicting passenger fares.
The same question was settled by
he supreme court as regards freight
'harges in the iaEious Shreveport de-
;ision. In cases cl discrimination the
Interstate rate IS Controlling. So the
tate legislatures will have accom-,
,iished nothing except to furnish aid
nd comfort to tie enemies of state
"Sulaticn as opposed to federal reg
,stion. Perhaps in doing SO they
re performing a Duolic service, " a
nintentiona': c1e.--Chicago Tribune,
Nay g, 1868