Norwich bulletin., 1917-11-10

Washington, Nov. g. CHHorQ rhorne, representing livestock, grain and oil shippers before the Interstate Commerce Commission in the reopen ed fifteen per cent. rate case, made public tonight d letter to John Skel- ton Williams, comptroller of the cur relcy, taking issue with recent statement by the comptroller support ing the efforts of the railroads to ob- tain higher rates. He challenged as- sertions of the comptroller and dared him to appear before the commission and question the accuracy Of state ments of fact offered there in behalf cf the shippers opposing the advance.
 The letter follows:
 Mir. Thorne's Letter.
 Dear Sir: I have read with inter est your statement in support Of the railroads in their present attempt to increase the freight tax on the Amer ican people another $50, ,ooo000 an nraIly. You have given this state ment to the newspapers of the coun- try on the very eve of the trial of the case before the Interstate Com mcrce Commission will not even suggest that you are lending the prestige of your great off1ce to help the railroads stampede the commits sion, for I know you would not stoop rC such a base undertaking; and if you did so 1t would be useless, for have confidence in the courage and integrity of that great tribunal to be- lieve that it cannot be stampeded. IF they were not true the time has ar rived to abandon the regulation of the railroads in America
 II wonder perchance,- if the idea has ever occurred to you that one de- partment of the government should not try to dictate to another depart ulent of the government what is it's duty on matters of grave import. Would you welcome public state raent from the Interstate Commerce Commission telling you what you should do on O matter of importance which YOU were called uoen to de- eide? Perhaps the commission is cap able of deciding this case upon the facts presented to it and not upon newspaper interviews and pronuncia- mentos-
 Tn regard to the value of our rail- roads as reflected in the market prices on securities you are quoted as saying that railroad securities have sustained the heaviest shrinksges and that they have been the leaders in the downward movements of prices challenge that statement as untrue. If you have facts to suhstantiate such to 2the Interstate Commerce Cornmis- sion at once. But you know that you dare not attempt to testify to such a statement under oath on witness stand. There is not an iota of evil defce in support of your claim that has been offered by the railroads or any hireling of the railroads. in this proceeding. The facts are precisely the opposite of what you claim and we are going to prove it. If you doubt this invite your attendance at the hearing next Friday before the Inter state iCoEninsree< kom mfssinIl5 and a a solitary statement of fact that will be offered on behalf of the national organizations of livestock shippers, grain shippers and the independent ois nF hn fighting this advance. These organi- zations have an aggregate member ship of over a million shippers. They are entitled to a respectful hearing before a tribunal not subjected to pressure or outside influences Unless you can substantiate these statements pn the witness stand. under cross ex- animation. your statements are not this commission or of the American people.
 As a class have declined in value at less rate than those of industrials, public utilities or even bonds of the United States government. There IS . world wide financial situation that has affected the borrowing power or all men and of all nations. The de- cline in security values is not due to inadequate railroad credit or made quate railroad earnings; it is due to the war You must know that fact 10 be true.
 ''This great human catastrophe, that is parafyzing so many manufacturing and industrial enterprises not direct ly connected with the making of war munitions. has entirely failed to ir1- 5ure our railroads for the record, when completed. will show that the rail- roads during tine past two years, while this great struggle has been waging, have prospered better than during any other year since the steam engine was invented
 "You state: If a way cannot be found now to reduce the prices of ma teriais and the cost of labor to a nor nal basis and this for the present is hopeless, it seems clear on the facts before us that revision and modifl-