The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1921-11-11
Railroad Rates
Deter Producers
In Every Line

Why did the Interstate Commerce
Commission in July, 1920, order
horizontal freight rate increase Of
55 per cent, effective as of August
2G. 1920?
Who asked that such an increase be
made2
The answer to the first question is
that the commission was importuned
into doing il, and by whom?
The railways.
When the Denver live stock freight
rate hearing was had before Exam
.ncr DisQue, a hearing in which the
Kansas City Live Stock Exchange
participated. through It's attorney.
Walter Farrar. and in behalf Of the
shippers, too, the railways denied
that present rail rates were hurtful
to he live stock industry The same
contention was had az the Chicago
hearing on the same phases Of the
rate situation The railroads con
tended that rates were not too high
on live stock and asked the commits
Jon 90 stand by lis guns and main
tain Tx Parte No "a the 80 per
cent horizontal rate increase.
Examiner Disque following the
Denver and Chicago hearings, re-
ported 20 the commission that his
findings Indicated that live stock
rates were unjust, ineqgitahle, and
unfair to the live stock shippers. This
formed the basis Of The final hear
ing az Washington, and the roads vig-
orously denied every one OF Exam
liner Disquo's findings.
The commission, the body that
had vran.ed the 25 per cent rate in
crease because BE- was cajoled and
brow beaten into 70 by the attorneys
for the railways, ruled AGAINST Ex-
aminer Disque and the shippers, and
sided again. with tie railroads.
There was nothing confiscatory or
unfair. unjust or ineQuitable In prcs-
emit live stock rates. the commission
ruled in effect.
Then 90 turned around and recon-
mendCd O. 20 per cent reduction on
the long haul whore the live stock
rate was more than so cents a hum
dred pounds Farcial? Yes. but no
more farcial than Mr. T. DeWin
Cuyler issuing a statement 10 the
public for the railways TO the effect
that agriculture cannot pay the rates
imposed on its products
The whole thing has developed in
70 a damnahle farce. The Inter-
State Commerce Commission knows
that Il is a farce. The railways and
Mr.. Cuyler know that Il is farce
Each knows that the other had made
fool Of IL, and that public resent
ment can no longer be restrained.
When did Mr.. Cuyler find out that
agriculture can not bear the burden
of freight rates imposed on t. Mr.
Cuyler is the Peter the Hermit Of adj
vanced freight rates. He is head Of
the American Association Of Railway
Executives, and is a man well in
formed and able, but he and his as
ISOLATION, after stampeding the In
ter-State Commerce Commission into
the leading role in the 80 per cent
rate increase farce had % keep up
a bold face. Naturally the commits
sion hates TO reverse itself. II hates
to admit that Cuyler and his crowd
made a fool of the commission and
boistered the commission up TO stay
ing on the deck Of a burning ship.
What fools these mortals be-
The curtain Is about TO be rung
down on the farce. The farmers Of
the country are going 70 take hand
in matters. Il may result In the abo-
lition Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
The American Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton has demanded the abolition
" the Adamson act. the Railway
Wage Labor Board act. and the Wiz
ani0us Ech-Cummins act. This II
the most sensible thing, as a farmer
interviewed in the Telegram yester-
day said, that has come out OF this
chaos Of bunk and bombast.---Dro-