Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-03-05
ABOUT RAILROAD RATES.
Congressman Stevenson Talks Some
STRAIGHT Business.

ouSHeSS.
The house In committee OF the
whole house on the state III the Union
had under consideration the bill III.
X. s6>5I Ia provide for the operation
uf transportation systems while under
Federal control. for the just compen-
sation Of their owners. and for other
purposes.
MIR. Stevenson. Mr. chairman. there
IL one thing that iS certainly evident
III this discussion. and that Is that
those who are proponents OF the bill
'S II stands expect II Ia be used for
the pup. u OF raising rates. Now.
there need nol """hody get mixed UP
about that. There Is 1. 'ndv here Of
fered any reason that amuu.:fs IL
anything for this power except thu
reason that II may become necessary
To arise the rates. The gentleman
who has just spoken said that II
might become necessary Ia raise pas
Srngcr rates in order Ia keep people
AT home. and il " would not do tu rely
upon the interstate commerce commits
sion 10 raise these rates. Well, now.
If the gentleman has kept up with
current history he will know that
within the last - days passenger fares
on mileage books have been raised u
quarter of cent u mile 10y this same
Interstate commerce commission.
Therefore. the argument that the in
terst:ir commerce commission Will
not make and raise any rates II II be-
comes necessary iS certainly begging
the question.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania
| (Mr. Moorei said Il while ago that he
WAS unable 10 See any reason why
rates should not br raised. that II
| transportation systems break down II
would bc necessary. ana II would br
probable that WAGES would be raised.
and nc wanted Ia know why rates
| should not be raised also. and that
| nobody had given him any reason
| why they should not hc raised. Now.
| | want TO know why they should br
| raised. and that is Il very important
| question Ia the business Of this c0un-
| try. And the other iS. how they shall
| he raised. In the last - months. the
/ last fiscal year. the railroads that are
called railroads. 10000 miles OF
| them, made u net incOmcrrl mean
| their railway operating income. which
| is with all expenses and taxes. ami all
| of that paid. and the balance that ls
| lcft-madc AN operating income OF
81 O6g, ,O0O. 900 on $4,000. 900 600. In
| other words. az a whole they made
over = per cent. Now that is consid-
| cred Il fair net return for any opr-
rating property.
Now, why should We he talking that
| we have got To raise rates? There iS
no evidence that business il dcrrcas-
| ing. And that is on the whole sys.
| tenn They have been taken over anu
| unified and made into system. ana
| i'm making rates the supreme court OF
Il -, h..Ss Ssslt. Il fhsIt A
| cannot hold that a rate Is coniisca-
tory unless all the operations of the
road, regardless of this rate along
| with il. are not sufficient To bring In
AN ADEQUATE return. The fact that
one rate on one commodity makes IL
a loss when they carry that commodi.
~ docs not destroy all the rates II all
the other operations Of the system
/ make q fair return. So II all the ope-
ratfors-sf tffsevs-syseenff ne -Iitf<e- t6xe1f
| over make "A fair return, where Is the
necessity for raising the rates? And II
YOU are going TO raise them. my
| friend from New York says, they viii
have TO bc raised quickly and without
| investigation. Now. IL you are going
| To arise rates without investigation.
| let us give the commission that has
| the information. that is expert at the
| business. the right to raise them. ana
| not the president. who has no expert
cncc. And II any Of you have been
I'D against the rate business you know
| that man has Ia have experience be-
| fore he knows anything about H.
The gentleman also stated that the
necessity for raising rates would have
to be exercised at once. want TO
| call the attention of this house 10 the
| fact that tho raising or changing OF
| rates is the most dcmoralizing thing
on the business of the country
that can possibly he imagined. II you
| make "A rate that is not a proper one,
YOU will demoraliZe business. because
/ all the business Of the great manu-
| featuring concerns are conducted on
the proposition that they viii make
| their contracts based upon the rate to
the place where they sell. That en-
| tcrs into every contract for sal" ana u
the rate is too high you will cause
millions of dollars OF loss to tn" mann
| featuring interests OF this couatry.
| because you have "A rate which viii
make Improbable every contract that
| is outstanding. ApplaGsc.D
have offered as an amendment the
| provision adopted by the senate, which
| gives the president the right to ini-
| tiate and put into effect rates. subject
| To bc reviewed and finally fixed 10y
1
| There are two sets Of people only
that know enough TO make rates III
| this country-thc interstate commerce
commission and the experts or the
railroads. The president will have to
rely on one set or the other. Mani
festly. the commission is more likely
| to deal fairly with the people be
cause they are not Interested. Thc
railroad experts will want to put rates
high in the hope that after the Fed
ernl control they will continue high:
The commission should be charged
with this, because it has no selfish IN
terest to serve. This rate matter may
be manipulated az to destroy towns.
manufacturing establishments. and
ports. and carries the power TO levy.
| in the form Of transportation charges,
millions Of taxes on the people. ana
should be carefully guarded. zap
plause.)