The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1924-04-08
GOOD|NG' s RATE
BILL 70 COME
BEFORE SENATE
Measure is on Calendar;
Committee Report is
Comprehensive; Law
Needed.


making absolute the requirements o
the long and short haul clause. hav
ing been favorably reported by th'
interstate commerce committee by ;
vote of to 2, is now on the senat,
calendar. and will be called up fol
consideration at the earliest oppor.
tunity. The report OF the committe.
reviews the evidence taken during fif
teen DAYS of hearings. and shows con.
clusively that violations of the long
and short haul clause must be stopped
BY law if the intermountain country
is to be allowed to develop. AS long
as the commission has discretionary
power to permit violations of that
principle, the interior states will be
put to constant expense to fight for
their rights, and indeed fight for self
reservation before the interstate COM
merce commission. The Gooding bill,
enacted into law would at once sta
bilize rates. and put an end to agi-a
ton that has continued for thirty
years
The report OF the committee shows
forcefully the following existing facts !:
As administered by the commission,
the long and short haul clause works
great hardship to interior points of
the west and south.
Capital will not invest in the interi-
or while the rate structure continues
uncertain; the interior cannot be-
come manufacturing region under
continually changing freight rates.
Long and short haul violations d.
vert business from the interior to
more favored terrnnSf- points, destroy
jobbing in the interior and give coast
jobbers a monopoly in the intermedi-
ate states.
People are leaving the interior to
locate at points with more favorable
freight rates
The present law, as administered,
says the report, results in rank and
un-American discrimination by i'm
posing on the interior unjust, unreas-
enable and prcjudicial rates and COM
pels the interior to pay the transport
tatoin costs of more favored points"
The report also shows:
No fourth section relief is granted
IN the east on account of water COM
petition, although there is great water
competition along the Atlantic sea-
board. In the west, with little water
competition, fourth section relief has
been freely granted in the past
II a rate to more distant point is
reasonably compensatory, higher
rate at less distant point is grossly
excessive. unjust and unreasonable.
1t is the policy of the railroads to
drive all water transportation out of
business.
Cities Take Hand
An interesting feature OF the re-
port is quotation from kilograms
showing the larger cities and shippers
are bringing pressure to bear on the
railroads to seek fourth section relief. |
Referring to the pending Chicago case,
kilograms are quoted showing the Di-
rector OF traffic of the Chicago associ-
alton of Commerce addressed peremp-
tory kilograms to traffic vice presi-
dents of various western roads de-
manding 10 know why they had not
applied for fourth section relief, and
demanding prompt action. Telegrams
from railroads in reply saying they
were ready to make application, but
delayed because they want personal
representation before the commission.
feeling it would have more weight with |
the commission.
a telegram OF thc transcontincntal
freight bureau. the filing agent of the
transcontinental railroads, in their re-
ply, frankly said: Fourth section ap-
plica,ion all ready for presentation to
commission, but several lines think il
should be personally presented by a
committee of executives" These
wires show clearly that the railroads
believed their own officials. appealing
personally TO the commission, would
nave more influence II their applica-
non was presented through usual
channels. II is this disclosure that
may bring about congressional in !
Fes'iga'ion OF the interstate commerce
commission. to determine whether or
not y IS influenced by big railroad
officials.