El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-06-08
Change In Interstate
Class Tariffs Effective
August LIST
SANTA FE SYSTEM
CHIEFLY AFFECTED

lines IN New Mexico, ana on the COlO'
RADIO & Southern railway, and makes
the new rates effective Aug. |, next,
All other railroads in the state are
excluded from the order, and their
rates will not be affected.
The order is signed by only two
members Of the commission, Chair
man Matthew S. Groves and Commits
sioner Hugh 1. sullivan. Commits
sioner Oscar L. Owen, the Democra,
tic member, has ~dissented. and has
written a dissenting statement, in
which he expresses the belief that
the new schedule will require New
Mexico shippers to pay, as q whole,
materially higher rates than at pres
ent.
The readjustment is on a mileage
basis, and conforms TO the tentative
schedule presented by the commission
at the informal conferences held at
several places in the state in Janu'
airy and February, and at the formal
hearing here in April. This schedule
shows that reductions compared with
the present mtrastate rates start at
40 miles on commodities OF the fourth
class, and that at go miles the rates
on all classes lower, The present
rate on fourth class commodities, 100.
mile haul, is SIS cents per hundred,
and the new rate, 80 cents; the pres
ent second class rate for 300 miles is
Stag g hundred, and the new rate,
$f0S, and on an S00-mile haul the
rate is reduced on first class com
modities from $2.85 to $1sGS. On short
hauls increases are shown.
1t Is understood that the Santa Re,
which is the railroad principally af-
fected. will make no protest against
the readiustment, and will put the
new rates into ecect August /.
In it's order the commission says:
IAN examination Of the tariffs de-
ve1oped the fact that so-called jobbers
rates are in effect from a number Of
commercial centers in this state,
which rates apply on the first four
classes only and in many instances
are about half Of the rates applicable
in the opposite direction, the latter
being on a mileage scale. This adj
justment has naturally resulted in a
number of complaints from communi
ties throughout the state from which
jobbers rates are not published, and
obviously constitutes a discrimination
against such points"
After a review of conditions, the
commission concludes as follows:
Considering all the facts of rec
ord, we find that the present jobbers
rates of the Santa Fe are unduly pre-
judicial and unjustly discriminatory,
and consequently i~ndefensible; and
we further find that the class rates
OF that company, based on mileages
and applicable to New Mexico intra-
state traffic, are inconsistent in gem
eral and for certain distances unrea.
sonable: and we find additionally that
the class rates of the Colorado &
Southern railway, another respondent
in this case, which appear to be APP
plicable to the first four classes only,
are incompatible with correct rate adj
justments, and consequently, in a
sense. discriminatory; and we. there
fore, conclude that the class rates to
be set out in the order hereof, for
distances indicated, and which will
apply in both directions, are reason
able. just and non-discriminatory as
applicable to the lines OF the Santa
Fe and the Colorado & Southern rail
way, for a one-line haul, the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe railway and the
Atchison, Topeka e Santa re railway
coast lines to be considered one line,
excepting that the present class rates
Or the Santa Fe applicable from Las
Vegas to points north, and from Ra-
ton to points south, to and including
Las Vegas, and from and to stations
between, shall remain in effect pend
ing an adjustment of certain inter
state rates as affecting that situa-
tion: and an order will be entered
accordingly.
with respect to rates of other car
riers respondent herein, it appears
that their rates, excepting in a few
instances and which we feel can be
adjusted without the necessity of a
formal order, are generally on a rea-
sonable basis, and the same rates, in
practically all cases, apply in both
directions, jobbers rates having been
eliminated by the majority of such
carriers. Furthermore, the rates of
other lines serving this state are, in
many instances, surrounded by pecul
lar circumstances and conditions not
applicable to the Santa Fe and the
Colorado & Southern railway. 1t haU
accordingly been decided to allow the
adjustment Of all such other lines to
open for further investigation
and consideration; and the order viii
therefore apply to- the lines of the
Santa Re and the Colorado & South
ern railway only, and the complaints
all ether respondents herein, {
so far as this proceeding is concern !
ed. viii be dismissed"
OVENS Objections :
In his dissenting statement Commits
Owen says: I
II am of opinion that the schedules
Is prescribed in said findings and
will require the New Mexico
shippers to pay as a whole materially |
higher rates than are now in force |
ind effect. = That the rates as
prescribed in the schedules advanced
will not work any benefit either to the
New Mexico jobber or to the shipper 7
md receiver of freight, by reason Of t
Material advances over present short /
lanl rates: . . that the rates from Il
md to border state points should be
simultaneously adjusted at the time \
" the establishment of rates as pre- t
by the foregoing order for the s
-eaeOn that If they are mott adjusted Il