Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-09-21
AS THE PEOPLE VIEW 1T

| Ell Paso and in some instances are
on lower basis. Consequently AL
buquerque's location may be re-
garded as a very favorable one,
when it Is considered that it is only
on one line of railroad. In addi-
ton to the specific rates apply
ing to and from Albuquerque in a
territory extending from the Miss
issippi River to the Pacific Coast,
it derives the benefit of the trans
continental rate adjustment on ac-
count of being located on the main
line of the Santa Fe System.
As previously stated, there Is no
actual discrimination against Albu-
querque in the present transcon-
tinental rate adjustment, although
it is true as cited by you that the
rates from Los Angeles to New
York on some commodities are the
same as from Los Angeles to AL
buquerque. That is true of canned
goods in carload quantities, the
rate having been blanketed almost
across the continent, extending
from points in Arizona to Boston
and New York. This was done,
as we understand it, to give job
bers an opportunity to buy in COM
mon markets and to preserve a
fixed relationship between such
markets.
The complaint filed by the Inter
mediate Rate association asked
that properly related Joint through
class rates be established from all
the territory east of Chicago to all
points in New Mexico, Montana,
Idaho, Utah and Wyoming and all
other points in intermountain terri
tory which were on combination
rate basis, but the commission took
no affirmative action in this re-
spect. 1t may be of interest to
quote for the information of your
readers a portion of the commits
sion's decision in this case, as fol-
lows:
THE record shows that inter-
mountain territory Is paying the
same commodity rates on most OF
it's traffic from the east as does
the Pacific coast. The items on
which the carload commodity rates
to intermountain territory are the
same as to the coast constitute a
long list. All intermountain
territory is treated practically as
a unit, and generally speaking
there is no grading of rates
except accidentally, where rates
are made independently in western
territory, or where the Mississippi
river, Chicago or st. Paul, Mimi,
com binations are lower than the
Joint through rates. In other words,
as to destination points the graded
rates to intermountain territory
are blanketed east for several
hundred miles, in many instances
to points in Idaho, Utah, Montana.
Arizona and New Mexico, until
they meet the independently made
rates in western territory or the
comb ination rates based on MIS-
sissippi river, Chicago or st. Pau.
Generally speaking, there are no
Joint all-rail class or commodity
rates from official or southern
classification territories to the
west, except to the coast and to
the intermountain blanket.
1.-THE Pacific coast interests con-
tend that If we should find Ae-
vision warranted we should fix
reasonable rates to the INFERNO
riate points without tying them 20
the rates to the coast, so that when
l. becomes advisable to reduce the
rates to the coast to meet water
competition that could be done
without involving the intermediate
pc ints. They suggest that If the
rates to intermediate points are at
that time reasonable, ana IL the
rates to the coast are made no
lower than water competition re-
quires and are reasonably COM
I easatory for the service perform
ed, no undue prejudice will then
b. caus,I by the intermediate rates,
and the intermountain interests can
have no cause for complaint under
the law"
We are not attempting to Justify
the present trars-continental rate
adjustments. out simply to explain
the situation as it exists. We have
protested to the Interstate Com
merce Commission against the ap
prevail of any fourth section appli-
cations which would establish lower
coast to coast rates than apply At
Intern eliate points, believing sucl,
an adjustment to be inimical to the
conner :ial interests Of New Mex
ico, and 1t was to guard against
such a contingency that the Inter-
mediate Rate association, of which
we are members, was organized.
The association consi!ts 4
commission and various shippers
crganiza tons IN 'ntsrmountain ter
ritory, IN the principle that in
urity there is strength.
The compliant that freight rates
are excessive and interfering with
business Is general all over the
country, and we can see no just!-
fIcation in maintaining them at
their present high level, when the