The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-30

Thorne Opens for shippers.
Chicago. Mare 80. - Clidord
Thorne. chairman OF the Iowa ruil.
road commission. In behalf OF the
protcsting shippers In the western
railroad freight hearing outlined ne
fore Interstate Commerce Commis-
sioner w. NJ. Daniels today the OPP
position OF the shippers TO the freight
rate Increases proposed by forty-one
western railroad systems.
The railroads are seeking 10 have
present rates increased on certain
commodities. which. they assert. az
present do not yield them a fair profit.
The total increases. " Eranted. ac-
cording 20 the railroads. would in
crease their revenue $40, 00o, O00 a
year.
The railroads have been presenting
their side 81 the case since March 4.
SIR. Thorne's statement at the hearing
today was the beginning OF the ship
pcrs' case. He said.
During the past four weeks this
commission has heard the testimony
Offered by the officials of western
railroads. In favor % an increase IN
their transportation charges, aggre-
ANAANh MANAANHN VI MNAiAAN NhANNAANa
We will now present o. o the
evidence on behalf OF the producers,
and Of this western part OF
the nation.
our object IN not to make a gem
eral onslaught upon the credit OF these
western railroads. The result Of our
efforts viii be rather Ia help estab-
lish the ~soundness M strength OF
their credit.
AS indicating conditions In the ter
ritory Involved, only the testimony Of
the presidents Of the Chicago Great
Western railroad. the Missouri Paoinc
railway and the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas railway was introduced. Moth
Ing further need be sid. This com
mission and che public knows whether
they represented typical lines or
weakiings. This procedure is In
marked contrast to that pursued by
the eastern railroads, where the chief
executives OF the representative lines
testified.
We will show you that three
fourths OF the traffic in this territory
Is being handled by companies that
are earning, aooye all operating cx-
penses. ali taxes and all Interest on
bonds and debt, from six To sixteen
per cent on all their capital stock
outstanding In the hands of the public.
Heretofore the railroads have beer
Tar better equipped than the shippers
In cases involving rates. but In the
present case the commissions OF six
teen western states. In compliance
with state laws, nave secured the SER
vices of an eminent corps OF expert
accountants and statisticians. and are
looking after the interests of the
public.
Joined with the commissions are
the representatives OF upwards Of
| 100000 manufacturers. merchants,
grain dealers, live stoos dealers, and
other producers. ana consumers, scat
| tered throughout the territory.
Never before has there been such
IN extensive organization on behalf
Of the public In any case.
In the gathering of this material,
every courtesy possible has been eN-
tended to ~ oy all the railway COM
uanies. with only one exception.
We viii demonstrate 10 YOU some
mistakes In the figures offered by the
railroads. We do not call them nib
representations, for all OF Us are lla-
BILE TO err 40 times, Some Of these
errors are small and of little import
ance; while others are basic and fun
damental.
II h not necessary for Us TO par
AIDE g%iaring, sensational incidents of
hish finance or questionable acts. II
IN "a cold blooded business PROPOSE
ton. The famous Gould printing
press scandal. where they made Erie
stock over night, AN incident that viii
probably be famous for all time, only
involved some $4,000, 900.
The present movement for in
creased freight and passenger rates
involved several times that sum or
money, not just at one time, but every
year. now and In the future. Tor this
and fuipre generations To pay
The impression has been given
that railroads have not been aDle To
maintain their properties during re-
cent years, that they have been COM
PEELED TO retrench 50 severely that
the public has been injured. 49, we'll
~ the railroad properties. This rs
true 40 TO some railroads, but Wc viii
show YOU h Is absolutely untrue as TO
western railroads ~ a whole. A. in
all business. there are temporary
periods O depression when the rail-
roads az a whole. including both the
strong and the weak lines. are COM
PEELED to retrench ia their expenses
for u time. IL will he ~cunclugiyely
proved 10 you that these western car
riers expended IN 1914 iu maintain
Ing their properties $500 per mile
of line, which was greater than in
any other year In their history
ized' by agreement between the
Mexican fractional leaders last De-
cember when Brigadier General Hugh
l.. Scott Of the United States army
..a.H s.,...H4.x a. ,.t. linz