The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-15
LONG AND SHORT
HAUL FEATURE
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IS ATTACKED
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Inland Cities Find It Hard to
i. Compete Against Centers
Enjoying Lower Rates
SPOKANE, BISMARCK AND
OTHER CITIES SUFFER
BY Gibson Gardner.

Washington, Jan. 15.-Congress has
again been asked to grant relief from
that form of railway discrimination
known as the long and short haul
rate making. Inland cities object tc
paying high rates in order that the
roads may reduce the rates to coast
points, where water competition
must be met"
The subject is not new one. but
the present legislative situation is de.
cidedly new. Here are some Of the
novelties.
There is no water competition in car
rying freight from the Atlantic to the
Pacific coasts, because the war has
boosted water rates until there Is
hardly cargo q year between New
York and Seattle. The l. c. c. has
of1cially recognized this fact, but de-
clines to afford any relief.
The railroads, as result OF the war,
are offered so much business that
their chief complaint is car shortage
and their inability to do the business.
Demands Relief.
1uO 0CdIC SOulul1o-
sion admits that the rate situation Is
one demanding relief for the inland
cities, but frankly acknowledges its
impotence, and states to Directing
shippers that 1T Is impossible to, COM
pei the railroads to desist from their
discrimination" 1885,,
So merchants and consumers in
Spokane, Bismarck and hundred
similarly situated cities are compelled
to pay rates based on the cost Of send
ing the merchandise to the Pacific
coast and then all the way back again.
As the rates are today is costs less to
ship a car Of canned goods from New
York to Seattle than from New York
to Fridley, Minnesota.
OF General Interest.
This railroad abuse is matter OF
general interest as showing the fail
ure Of regulating commission to reg
ulate. For twenty years there has
been agitation, legislation and litiga.
ton to correct the long.and.short haul
discrimination. 1t has always been
obvious that a car Of freight going
through Boise, with freight on it for
Boise: ought to stop and discharge
that freight at Boise. and not take it
thrugh Boise to the Pacific coast and
back again. Yet that is what railroad
rate.making requires.
So Congress legislated twenty.years
ago to correct such a practice. But
the legislation was faulty and in 1906
It was amended. The amendation
was faulty and in 1910 it was amended
again. Then it was sent in test case
TO tho United States Supreme Court.
The court said it was all right and 1t
remained only for the Interstate Com.
mofce commission to enforce the act.
l..s@,* Fell Down.
But the, commission fell down. 1t
has shown itself either incompetent or
worse. At once after the 1910 amend
ment the commission permitted the
roads to make the old time low rate
to tho coast without reducing the
rates to intermediate points. on the
ground that special conditions as to
water competition prevailed. Every
rate to the coast was made the sub
ject Of a wholesale order without spec
ial consideration or hearing. But since
then the war has wiped out even the
excuse Of these special considera'
tions"; but the commission is too busy
or too flabby to undertake the enforce
ment of the law.
For these and other reasons Senator
Poindexter has introduced bill to
again amend the law. This time he
would declare that 1t is illegal, re-
gardless Of water competition. to
charge a larger rate for shorter haul
over the same line, when the short
haul is a part Of the long haul.