The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1915-04-29

.suew@eas Essarnsas ~
/ Of the law Is involved. unless khef eaA
first obtain the approval 81 the Inter
state Commences Commission
They were furthermore required,
by this change in the SAW to apply
to the Commission for authority %
continue III force rates existing At the
time Of its passage which contEavened
the long and short haul principle.
Roads Must Make Changes
"The existing rate structure = the
South ii not the creation 81 traffic
managers OF this generation. 1t ~
an inheritance from those who built
the roads. and finds its explanation
largely IN the geography Of the South.
and in public policy which encour-
aged its creation, The changes ncTT In
progress are not of the carriers choice.
water competition, the most i'm
portant factor in bringing about de-
parture from the long and sfeEt haul
principle Of the law, has been peculia:s
| ly influential on the rate adjustments
OF the South, surrounded as it Is on
three sides by navigable water and
penetrated by navigable streams. Ter
mini OF the first roads were on navl-
gable waters and rates between those
termini were from the beginning de-
pressed because Of this water compe-
tition. When, subsequently, railways
we're extended to the interior, dfstrib-
uting points were thereby created.
where there arose competition Of two
or more markets. or Of two or Esore
carriers, resulting in depressions IN
rates, even when there was no direct
water competition.
these conditions undoubtedly con.
tributed to the commercial and indus
trial development Of the interior
South, and. while they resulted In
more frequent departures from the
long and short haul principle Of the
law. the carriers had every reason to
believe that their practice had the
approval Of the public, even when u
was not directly the result Of public
demand.
.sNow, the Interstate Commerce
Commission, pursuant to the require
ments Of an amended law, has conclud-
ed an enquiry into rates from the East
ern Seaboard, including the Virginia
Cities, from South Atlantic and Giilf
Ports. and from Ohio and Mississippi
River Crossings. into the Southeast and
Mississippi Valley territory AS 9 re-
suit the Commission has in large meas
ure condemned existing departures
from the long and short haul require
ment, except where justified by CONS
petition beyond the control Of the raie
carriers, phrase which came to be re-
stricted to mean direct or indirect
water competition.
Must Raise Some Rates
obviously, the removal Of inequalf-
ties condemned by the Commission, by
reductions only, would result in disas-
ter to the carriers This fact IS rec
ognized by the Commission, which, in
It's review of the situation, stated:
"It IS entirely clear that the reve-
nues Of a large percentage OF the lines
in the Southeastern territory would be
SO impaired by such procedure as to
make it impossible for them to meet
their operating expenses taxes and
fixed charges and leave their stock
holders even moderate return.
1T is equally obvious that It would |
be unfair to punish the carriers, In con-
forming to changed public policy. for
acts which at the time Of commission
were approved by public opinion.
Hence IN working out the Order Of
the Commission such elevation Of rates
to the depressed points must accompa
ny reductions to the much larger num-
her OF intermediate points as Will at
least preserve the revenues OF the
carriers.
1.-THE task of revision is no easy
one. 1t has been undertaken in loyal
effort to conform to the law, as now
interpreted, and to be fair to all
Departures from the long and
short haul principle In the South are
not confined to interstate traffic There
are in the South great many intra.
state rates that do not conform to
the principle. If undue determinations
are to be avoided, these interstate
rates must be brought into harmony
with the revised interstate adjustment
being made under the direction Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission It
Is the purpose Of the railways Of the
South to take up each intrastate regis-
ion with the Several State Railrsad
Commissions"