The people's voice., 1954-05-21
FREIGHT RATE DECISION MAY NAVE
OTHER RRMIEIcATI0NS

OTHER RRRfIFlCATI0NS
The recent freight opinion written by Justice Angstmar
concued by the other four Justices of the State Su
Court Of significance to the people of Montana
several respects
shippers will the immediate benefit from
the high court ruling affirming earlier decision by the Cas-
cade Judge including example
numbering cement OIL mining and agricultural the ruling
may much $500 freight annually
addition the voidng of the cent ntrasate rate in
granted the railroads by the Railroad and Public Service
Commission than that similar amount
in overpymens will be subject reundng to the shippers by
the rails.
Since the railroad rate boost approved by the Commission
boosted rates per board and not just
msunderstanding-rate accordingly
are reduced The decson however does not
affect motor truckers rates The Montana Citizens Freight
Association by law could bring joint action against
both rails and truckers since the cent rate increase for
each approved under commission orders Unless
the trucking voluntarily reduce rates. reduction
their shipping only obtained by another legal
ceedng by commission action
second possibly not Immediately apparent aspect of
have the Railroad and Public Service Commission This
versa of order by the commission much rebuff to
that high court reversal rebuff to lower
In many words the high ruling says that the
commission derec protecting the interests of the pub
granted per cent freight increase which
not justified.
Since the decision down. you may have noted,
Mesr Henry Middleton and Young have completely reversed
their task thou shall receive policy regarding
increase requests by major utilities Last week the commission
turned down toto Railway Express request for 23
cent increase In doing, the said such
increase would result in curtament of great number of
small Montana INDUSTRIES The commission did show such
II
granted Fl to boosts Montana Power Mon
tanaDakota Utilities and Mountain States Tel Tel-rate
increases which threaten number of such sma Montana
industries with bankruptcy Possibly the commission
suit of Justice Angstmans decision has become bit
and may be looking for graceful out whereby
amends be made to the telephone
public.
third ramlflcaon of the decision that it
may be precedenta Currently before the
reaching the court three actions brought by Attorney Cen
era Arnold H. Olsen which objective voding
of the higher granted MPCo MDU, the high
telephone schedule approved for MST&T the commission
in the last half of 1858.
The high court has already served notice the commission
that rate increases brought before that body for must
have been granted the basis of facno fancy pressure
from the utilities
In the instance of Montana Power abundant evidence
availableahough the commission denied into
the hearing recorda the per gas increase
be Justified The in due time undoubtedly
will hear and weigh this wealth of evidence the
fused to consider in its arbitrarily granting MPCo everything
court find in MPCos that all a substantial part of
the 3247 cent rate boost unreasonable unjust
the Attorney General contends in this instance with
rail freight rate large amount of money will have
to be refunded 81 900 residential gas
er patrons of Montana Power
Each user need only figure the of his bill
the thousands of cubic feet these
with his bills prior last September to determine how large
refund will be his should this Public Service Commission order