The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-12-03
FREIGHT RATES AND LICNlTE

| According TO a special dispatch
to The Tribune from Washington,
operation of the new freight rate
! schedule on North Dakota Ignite
filed by the railroad companies to
go into effect December s has been
deferred to April 4. Suspension
was decided on by the Interstate
Commerce commission after pro-
tests had been made by the COVER
nc,rs of Minnesota, North Dakota
and South Dakota, and by ship
pcrs, commercial organizations
and others.
An interesting sidelight on the
controversy is provided by Cover
nor ,Nestos Of North Dakota in am
other dispatch in which it Is said
he had asked Attorney General
Daugherty to make an investlga-
tion to discover If any interested
parties have been guilty Of viola
ton of the criminal provisions Of
the anti thrust laws. Governor Mes
tos was prompted to the request
by complaints or charges that have
reached him to the effect that the
transportation companies OF the
Northwest had virtually BEEN fCIrc-
ed to demand heavily increased
freight rates on Ignite by eastern
connecting roads, lake dock COM
panies and coal operators. The
proposed tariffs, it was feared by
complainants. would 'seriouly un-
dermine the Ignite industry, i'm
pair competition and clear the way
for advances in the price OF eastern
coal.
Governor Nestos makes NJ
charge Of this kind. lie is not
prejudging the case, but makes his
appeal with open mind to the De-
partment. of JUS ice i'm the belief
that an investigation is warranted
In view of the nature and sources
of compliant. If there is no sub
stantial basis fer the allegations
that fact should be made known
officially as a matter of fairness to
all concerned, including the trans
portation companies.
Increasing public attention is be-
irg turned to the Ignite fields OF
North Dakota as source OF fuel
supplies. High prices of anthra-
cite and of soft coal to consumers
of the Northwest account in large
r>art for this trend of affairs. If
Ignite is satisfactory fuel In
competition with the hard and soft
coal of the East and South. 1t is
sound economics to foster the lig-
mite industry by all reasonable
means. Drawing fuel from near
by fields helps to- solve the trans
portation problem, and gives bet
ter assurance Of unfailing supplies
of fuel at all times arid in all sea-
sons. If it will help consumers OF
both East and West to reduction
of their fuel bills. the development
of the Ignite indsutry becomes
matter of countrywide interest.
1t is the proper function of the
Interstate Commerce commission
to see that justice is dome to the
common carriers and to the public
that is dependent on them. 1t is
the commissions duty to see that
one part of the country does not
profit at the expense of another
part, or that one group of inter
ests does not have unnatural adj
vantage over another group be-
cause of transportation charges or
conditions. Freight rates are es-
tablished to foster industry fairly.
not to throttle it arbitrarily. 1t IS
to be expected. therefore. that the
commission will give careful con-
sleration to the freight rate ques-
ton as it affects an industry of
growing Importance in the North
west.-MinneapOlis Tribune.