Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-08-24

othsTEise credited IN this paper q
also ayhe local news published herein
TuESDAY EVENING. AUG. =. 1920.
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STATE RAILROAD RATES.
Railroad rates for interstate pur-
poses 4re regulated by the interstate
coIni6erce commission. Rates from
poinf to point within q state IRE reg
ulased by the several state commits
lions. I~ntrastafe rates in North Da-
kota.s prior to the assumption Of con-
trolsqf the railroads for war purposes
by the government were higher than
the Hcal rates in Minnesota or South
;DaikSAa. In support Of their claim
for Egher rates In North Dakota the
railroads advanced the argument that
because Of the smaller volume of
business in this state their proper
tionaAe expenses here were greater
5thAnssssin the neighboring states, hence
theyS were justly entitled to higher
rates on the business Transacted. The
state legislature in 1919 made new
rate provisions, the purpose Of which
was Is ;remoye Determinations against
NcrN Dakota which were believed to
bel II Equitable. That law has not yet
gone into operation, but it is Mp-
posed to take effect on September 1
OF this year, at the end of the six
months' period following the transfer
OF the railroads by the government
back to their
uAder the receipt decisions Of the
interstate commission rates all ver
the country are being advanced. Inter
state rates have been placed on p
sh~ighaGslevel and state rates must fol-
low, shit. and it Is expected that as
interstate rates have been advanced
Is to IS per cent. state rates will be
advanced in about the same proper
ton. On what basis ought the North
Dakota advance to be calculated?.
North Dakota people who. are fami-
liar with the situation contend that
whatever advances are made should
be based, not on the rates which are
nov in force in this state, but IN the
rates provided in the legislation OF
1919. 1t will make a yer material
difference to the people of the state
which basis is chosen. ! The railroad
people contend for the use of the pres
~ent<rates as a base. North Dakota
shippers and consumers contend that
thu trne basis Is that established in
1919 which was established avowed-
" inEaardsr to correct rates which
the legislature was convinced were UNI
just.
If no general rate advances were
being made, the rates fixed in 1919
would go into effect on the first Of
next month. And it is commended
with apparent good reason that as Id
vances are being made, these should
be bas9ad-on the standard which would
now be n force IL it were not for the
fact that the regulations made dur
ink the period Of federal control have
not vet been superseded.
The people of the state who have
given intelligent consideration to the
subject understand fully that the rail
roads Of the country must be placed
ont = self-sustaining basis and that
thay must be permitted to charge rates
sufficient to yield revenues ample to
defray all their legitimate charges OF
every kind. North Dakota asks TO,
no preferential treatment. But her
people have "a right to demanN that
they Pc given treatment not less IA
vorabie than that accorded to neigh
boring states where the conditions
are substantially like their own.
Granting that Minnesota has 1
EFeater volume of intrastate tramc
than North Dakota, some part, and a
ysyyconstderable p6rt Of that diner.
cnce u actually; due to the difference
IN yakss. Large quantities Of freight
are shipped from eastern Minnesota
pgsnts TO East Grand Forks and Moor.
| hsad which, were It not for the DIFF.
ference IN rates. would be shipped u
i Grand Forks and Fargo. A. a matte,
asof Nalet, this freight u actually car.
sr4el Through the stations to which 4
bsIJed, and brought to the NORTH
&nAkcta side, In order to avoid stop.
y4pjn9 ana rwitching entire trains. thar
the carr g sorted ont and. haulst
aek acTons the rfvek ana the good.
sexsss iinioadcd and drsy4d across 1,
astleis nd. With uniform rates THU
ete m haulass would be eaiminated
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