The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-18
RATES ARE SLASHED
|tort Smith & Western Feels
| Keenly Competition From
Truck Firms
charges DISCRIMINATION
Rail Officials Says Owners
Of Truck Services Don't
I, Pay Taxes as Roads

Isseal 20 The World.
FORT SMITH, Ark, June IL
1rrcroachment of motor trucks and
3motor blsses on the short haul busi-
a. ness OF the railroads will result in
l few more years in abandonment OF
heal freight and passenger service
I'M the railroads, unless the motor
mes are put under regulations sim
lar 10 those enforced on the rail-
roads. according to Gordon Oliver,
general grcight and traffic manager
Il the Fort smith and Western.
Motor trucks are able today 10 cut
rates for short hauls as compared to
be railroads, because they have no
xpense for construction or mainto-
nance Of their roadway, which is
furnished them in good roads by the
Igsneral public. and because they are
y seyed OF many of the expensive
a tponsibilities which the railroads
III q forced to carry, Mr.. Oliver said.
Common Carrier.
! "A motor truck that picks up
||height in Fort Smith and delivers It
o greenwood" said Mr.. Oliver, lis
gst as much a common carrier as a
Iroad 1t should be subject to
The same taxation and the same reg
u.a,i0n as railroad. Otherwise,
tho motor truck owner is having the
general public, which builds and
maintains the roads, pay as much OF
bis cost OF operation. The same
principle applies to a passenger car
ming automobile.
We pay taxes of $500 to S4OO a
In..e on our railroad. The motor
lCk pays nothing like that. Be
ies that we have to build our rail-
0ad and pay maintenance charges
Ca il. The motor truck does not.
II the motor truck was on the
ame tax paying basis as the rail-
0ad and had to bear it's fair share
o the cost Of building and main
n!nins rs road bed, the public high
way, as II should do, the motors
could not compete with the rail
Ines
Loss Of the short haul business
y,hln a radius of 25 TO 80 miles is
10. costing the railroads any profit.
70 my opinion. The cost of assem-
ling, moving and distributing
ts!ght for so short "A distance is 50
great that there is little. If any,
profit in the short haul business Tor
the rail lines.
But the result will necessarily be
1 further curtailment OF local serv-
re BY the railroads, for both freight
and passenger business. Already
local service has been somewhat
cutailed, because of the competi-
i0n Of the motor truck and motor
bus
Charges Discrimination.
Il believe in a few more years,
Unless the discrimination is removed
Is between the railroad and motor
tanspo that most Of the
rains operating through Fort Smith
VII make no stops In lees than 50
ni.es Ui this city. There will be no
business tor the towns closer than
mat and YOU can't expect a railroad
continue to operate its service
Rhtn somebody else IS getting the
llGeam OF the business.
The question of taxation on
I&ght carrying motor trucks and
Ihsenger carrying automobiles Is a
p-oAc question, OF more Importance
70 the tax payer generally than 10
ne railroad. Eventually, the public
WI get tired of building and main
aiming good roads for motor trucks
wear OUT on their own private
BUSINESS, for which the public gets
70 return. Then some kind Of tax
as arrangement will be worked out
NAT Will be equitable, making the
motor truck operator pay his fan
mare OF the cost OF his roadbcd
sa.ch the railroads have always haG
pay out Of their own funds.
when a motor truck owner be-
sns Carrying freight as a common
a!flsr, he should assume the same
y0Aga'ions as q railroad and be sub
yecl to- the same regulation as tC
9a'es and service"