The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-09
POWELL DISCUSSES WHAT CONSTITUTES REASONABLE RATES Vice President of Southern Speaks to Traffic and
 Transportation Club DIR. EDMONDS SCORES WITH WITTY SPEECH Traffic Manager Bum Briefly Out lines Plans for New Bureau.
 Rates Generally Fair,
 He Says

Co-opera ton was the keynote of the banquet of the Traffic and Transportation club at the Tutwiler last night, when T. c. Powell vice president of the South ern railway, addressed more than hun dred prominent railroad and traffic men about What is a Reasonable Rate on Freight" In profound manner he showed that this was a matter of opinion and that only by cooperation between the railroads and the various interests could the best conditions follow.
 The banquet was sprightly and jolly and the patriotic feeling evident. The banquet hall was decorated in the "red, white and blue" and national airs were sung and played throughout the evening When Dr. H. M. Edmonds humorously recalled how great a factor in his life in a provincial town in Alabama were the two trains, the Selma Local' and the "Cannon Ball" he was given & great ova- ton, while witty remarks of Dr. Percy Woodall, Morris Bush, the toastmaster and Carson Adams added to the occa- sion.
 There are two subjects which are par amount in the minds of the American public,'' said MT. Powell, the high cost of living and the transportation facili- ties. Both the high cost of living and the congestion of the terminals may be to some extent attributed to the Euro pean war; but both of them are also caused by difference of opinion as to what constitutes reasonable rate of freight, What is, or is not, a reasonable rate of freight, is a matter of opinion
 DIFFERENCE IS NATURAL
 After revlewlng the fact that on ac- count of the inability of any one to set out exactly how much of, the general cost should pc charged to each particular train there was no manner in which to arrive at rates, MT. Powell said; that it was natural that the shipper and the railroad are not in accord as to the meas ure of each and every rate.
 But, he continued, man has never been able to fix common standard.
 The disparity of science in regard to the measurement of degrees of heat, the difference in the linear standards. the carving standards of weight-all of these showed conclusively where man could not agree upon any standards.
 "If men cannot agree among them selves as to the standard weights and measures, how can you expect to reach an agreement about rates of freight?'' he asked
 NOW the real IdCL IS that the SnlpperS want a rate of freight which will enable them to distribute their products to the best advantage in all directions, and the receivers, or purchasers, want rate of freight which will enable them to buy from number of different markets and which will not be restricted to one or only a few markets at which to pur- chase.
 ''The railroads, on the other hand, must have sufficient revenues By sufficient revenues" MT. Powell explained that he meant enough to permit the railroad to be liberal in it's maintenance and devel- opment expenditures and sum sufficient to allow railroad to pay a good divi- dend upon the stock. maintain the rail- road in first-class condition and furnish adequate service to the travelling and shipping public.
 BETTER FACILITIES
 The facts that he wished to empha- size were: the impossibility of gain ing unanimous verdict as to whether rate was wholly reasonable or wholly unreasonable; and. if this was true, that the railroads should be per mitted to make enough to insure for the shipper better transportation fa- ci1ities.
 As a representative of the Southern railway system MT. Powell reviewed what great factor it was in the de- that fit serves the south by its many Southern maintained development with representatives in the north and