Show R RAILROADS OBEY NEW I LAW AND STOP BAD c i PRACTICES Of PAST y WASHINGTON Jan Jau G. G G. G More signi sign significant significant fic nt and important perhaps than any othor statement in the twenty-first twenty annual annual annual an an- nual report of the interstate interstate- commerce commission which was transmitted d today today today to to- day to congress confess is that relating to the tho e attitude of railway officials t toward the dIe e new railroad law law In a a. di discussion H of the Op tion of tho the act net the commission says say Dy By railway y managers al aL al ost w without with with- th out Jut exception tho the amended la law late hasa has boon a n accepted in in good faith aid d the they exhibit for the most moat part t a sincere ant and earnest t. t disposition to conform their ro methods to its requirements Results Gratifying The commission adds that it was not DoL expected ted that reforms could be brou brought ht about without difficulty or delay b but tit it is unquestionably the tho fact that great pro progress re has hag been made and that further improvement is 19 clearly assure assured To 11 u gratifying H extent thero theio has bas boon been readjustment of ot rates and of cc abuses by the carriers themselves es Methods and usages usage of ot one sort an and another which operated to individual advantage e h have avo been been voluntarily corrected cor cor- and it i is not too much to say there thero is now a freedom ree om from forbidden discriminations which is actual and general to a L degree never novar before ap ap- ap- ap As As' this progress progress' goes on as special privileges disappear and nuel favoritism teases ceases to be bo overt oven Hi c suspected the indirect indirect indi indi- but not less legs certain certain b benefits of or ortho tho the Saw law InV will become more moro and more more ap- ap app p parent I Better Detter Behavior The amended net act has hall been heen iu force lorce a little more than sixteen months and the tho commission points out that a considerable consider consider- considerable able ablo part of its time durin during the thc past year ear bas has been occupied in giving hin administrative ad- ad construction t to various publications of tho the law for guidance of ot both shippers er and Bud carriers An incidental respect in which f equality equality equal equal- it ity of treatment has been heen promoted is in such matters as 35 switching terminal demurrage l murra e elevation and other char charges e makin making lip hp the a aggregate ag ag- gre ato cost of transportation Respecting Respect- Respect ID ing these matters the report says It Ht It is this thi Jen general ral and marked ini im ini- ini provement in transportation conditions that the commission observes cs with special cial dal gratification The amended law with us its enforceable enforceable- remedies the wider re recognition o of its f fundamental justice I tho quickened sense fleDge of ot public public- obligation obliga obliga- obligation obligation tion ou on the part of railway managers man ers the tho clearer perception bv by shippers of all aU classes that an any individual anta advantage o ois is morally as well as lc legal indefensible n sible bible and anti the augmented influence of ot of the commission resulting from its its is increased in in- in increased creased authority have o all all oil combined to materially diminish offensive practices of every CI ort sort and to sg signally i promote the tho purposes purposes for which tho the law Im was t en- en acted Many Decisions Rendered Since th the tho new now rate rato law became effective ef ef- o October 24 21 24 1906 1006 tho the commission commis commis- slon sion hns has granted relief relict in the form fonn of corrective e orders in man many c cases Upon Urion to November No r J 4 oJ 1907 the commission rendered decisions in in contested under tinder of cases ases tho act In forty five these cases case'S orders were ma made e against I the tho defendant earT carriers rJ in forty five the complaints were dismissed and aDd in in t the e remaining fifteen no or orders er were ma made e. e In er e every instance except one the tho orders or or- ders of the tho commission complied compliN with ith promptly In the exceptional case caso tho Delaware Lackawanna Vestera Western West Vest era ern railroad carried the order into the United States courts but pending a n decision b- b by the courts is is complying with tho order of the commission Advances in Rates Bates Two important subjects are discussed u sN at nt length in the report the tho one ben bein being tho matter of advances in m- m rates which c the tho commission is wholly holly without power to prevent and the other othor tho the dreadful dreadful dreadful dread dread- ful destruction of at life in railway accidents acci- acci dents cn which are not now tho the subject of official investigation tion under fc federal ral I J authority Considering the advance in iu rates which rests entirely with tho railWay railway rail rail- way under tho the law HI tho commission su suggests that when such uch advance is at- at in a formal complaint the commission com coin mission be bo given authority by legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion to suspend the operation of the advanced ad ad- ed rate rata until tho the matter have been heard and determined determine 1 finally ual- ual Respecting tho important subjects ts of congested traffic t and nd car shortage e. e the comm commission sion says the whole problem may mav may be sand said to bo be due to tho the fact tact that tho the facilities of the carriers have not kept pace paco with the tho commercial growth of the country countr- Need Deed More Railroads One prominent railroad president estimates estimates esti esti- mates that durin during the period frown from 1893 1803 to 1903 the traffic offered for tor carriage o duties per cent while during the the sain period th tho o in instrumentalities for far handling the traffic increased o only ly 20 0 per peer cent It It be may a conservatively ely stated that that tho the inadequacy of transportation Facilities is little less than alarming that its continuation may mav place an arbitrary arbitrary ar ar- limit upon upon t pro productivity productivity uc- uc y of t tho the land laud and that the solution solution solution tion of the difficult financial and physical cal t problems involved is ill worthy the most earnest thought and effort of ot all aU who believe in the full development of our country and tho Jar largest est opportunity for its people The work of at tIn the o commission has increased increased in in- creased sed enormously in tho the past year During the year ear 21 hearings were vere held Ln in various parts of at tho the country a against three seventy in in 1906 1908 and at tho bearings hear bear ings folios of test es were taken This indicates an increase of or about per cent The hearings con consumed the time tinie of the tho commission of special examiners from Irom two hours to el eighteen d da days lI s and several e of the tho hearings hear hear- iD ings consumed little short of t a w week cash |