The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-04-20
RAILROADS WIN
FIRST STEP FOR
A. HIGHER RATE
Interstate Commerce Commission
Grants Tentative Permission
to File Tariffs
SHIPPERS OF COUNTRY
WILL OPPOSE ACTION
Fifteen Per Cent Increase on
Commodities May Be Effect
i've on July l

Washington, April 20.-All rail
roads were today granted tentative
permission by the interstate com
merce commission to file supplement
al tariffs, increasing freight rates gen
orally Is per cent, effective June l.
next.
In this manner the commission dis
poses of the question of procedure
in dealing with the application Of the
roads in every section for general in,
creases. Two courses had been open
TO permit the filing of such tariffs
and investigate their reasonableness
prior to the date they should 60 into
effect; or. to permit the filing OF tar.
ifs effective Immediately and sus-
pend them during the period of the
Investigation.
Brings Issue to Head.
The commissions order is subject
to recall or change prior to the ef
fective date Of the rates. In this way
the commission brings the issue
squarely before the railroads and
shippers in a definite form. Hear
ings will be begun tomorrow and a
full investigation of the proposed in
creases seem likely before the com
mission issues it's final finding.
Shippers from virtually all parts of
the country have Signifed intention
of opposing the granting of SO large
an increase as l5 per cent, which the
railroads claim is imperatively neces
sary if they are to continue to oper
ate profitably in the face Of the soar
ing cost of supplies, equipment and
fuel and general wage advances. un
der the AdamsOn law and otherwise
Shippers to Oppose Increase. = ),
AT the first of these hearings tomor
row shippers from New York, Chica
60. Cincinnati and other large cities
will be present to define their atti
tude as to the railroads demands.
Supplemental to the general tenta
tive order, the copmis;iQn issued an
order permitting the Increase to ap
ply tentatively on all through rates
which are lower than the total rates
affects chiefly the towns and cities
in the inter-mountain territory. The
tentative order permits horizontal
raise of Is per cent on all rates. in
cluding those to intermediate points
Shippers from the great stretch OF
territory included in the intermoun
tain country have signified their in
tention Of opposing this arrangement
vigorous on the grounds that such
an order would operate more to the
| disadvantage of inter-mountain cities
| than the present tariffs, readjustment
of which is now under consideration
Commission Does Not Approve.
"The commission does not hereby
approve any rates that may be filed
under this authority, all such rates
being subject to protest, suspension
complaint, investigation and correc
tion if in conflict with any provision
of the act to regulate commerce."
All commodities are embraced un
der the order, with the exception OF
those upon which the roads have sig
| nified that applications for specific
| increases would be asked. Excepted
commodities are bituminous coal and
coke from producing fields in Penn
sylvania, Maryland, West Virginia
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Ohio to Atlantic seaboard and Great
Lakes ports and in case of iron ore
from producing points in the middle
| west to furnaces.