Milford chronicle., 1920-04-09
NS&1SSG~GSG&
RAILROADS AND THE !. c. c.
(From Harvey's Weekly

(tTOm HarYeys Weekly
Railroad freight rates. are told are likely to be in
creased September from twenty to twenty-five per
cent The announcement is surprising nor will il
be resented by those who per-
sonal views Of the subject Shippers will not Of
enjoy paying higher rates though thai
they will readily devise way passing increase
along to the ultimate consumer" who almost universal
ly is compelled to play the part OF the goat But
who take into consideration the general in
cost OF operating the roads will realize proposed
action is nothing more than equitable
1t should not be possible for the reckless
demagogue to charge the against private con-
troll as the result of resumption of that system Every
body knows that the roads had been kept govern
men control actually to government own
ershp the increase would have been made just same
or would have had to be made alternative to run
ming the roads at loss Of hundreds of millions year
Sound business principles certainly require the roads
shall be placed self-sustaning basis rather than
hat the taxpayers of the country shall upon to
cover huge yearly deficit The Government has been
running them at loss and has had power to com
pei the taxpayers to make good the But it cannot in
justice and decency require the to run
them at loss to themselves, and fancy that there
would be pretty general howl disapprovaI if it tried
to make the taxpayers of the cover deficits in the
accounts of private corporations
In one important and gratifying respect the coming
increase will differ radically from any hitherto made or
attempted for many Hitherto the have been
compelled to ask the Interstate Commerce Commission for
to readust rates and prove to the satsc
ion OF that body very circumstantiay convncingy
hat the requested increases necessary. Railroad
history during the last generation has largely been a S
ecord OF such appeals arguments testimonies and too
ten denals of just demands There often too much
round for the complaint that the Commerce
commission starving the railroads DEATH and there
reason for believing that if its toward them had
cen not more generous but merely equitable they ~
oud have been in better condition to meet the exraor in
mary strain of service al
But now there will be such appeals The Interstate va
ommerce Commission will itself take the initiative in a.
escribng increased rates Under new law il is re- M
red to fix rates basis that will give the roads AL tn
turn OF approximately five half per cent on the V
lue oil their transportation plant and equipment It is
at duty which the law imposes upon the Commission CO.
ch VIII effect the coming increase rates Obviously Sta
duty Is not light and responsibility which POI
imposes upon the Commission is one of the most i'm,
rant that that body has borne Upon the proper
harge OF it depends not only sovency of the rail
ds but also very largely the prosperity of the whole me-
lny, which is closely related to the TRANSFORMATION @
tenn We may add what trust nobody will regard m era
eggibe trfe that the good faith OF the Government
also directly involved. and
mere IS indeed, an unprecedented opportunity for a.
luiness before the Interstate Commerce Commission
oVment OF which should toward redeemin n les
N the reproaeh which has justly fallen upon it in na+ the
rs 1POA ~ u past typ