Show IMPORTANT DECISION CONCERNING EXPRESS RATES May lla 5 The Interstate commerce commission hiLts hns rendered l Its opinion In 1 a ft caso Involving time the of an all express rate rime Tho case was 1118 brought by hy the Society of American Florists who claimed that tho the rate charged by the United States Ex J IC presH company com pun on cut cu 1 flowers front from ou Jersey Jerse to New York City was unreasonable excessive and unjust This rate rato until July Juh 1900 was wits 60 ro cents per pel hundred pounds s and at that line was wan raised ral to 1 Commissioner Lane who vho delivers the time opinion holds that the rate should be he reduced to GO CO cents The express com coin company om Patti pany defended ed Us its Increase In In Us lis rate by that Ihal the delivery service given cut flowers In New York YOlk was moro inure expensive that than that lint given Rhon other articles and that list It could Increase Its rate a it amount amo amno nt to meet time the expense of this special service without largely largel Increasing the tho total rate be he because cause of Its contracts with the tho railroads under which It Is required to 10 pay Jay 45 per ver percent cent of Its Hs gross Kross receipts to the rail nut railroad road companies for their service Commissioner Lane nys MYS An express company cannot Justify a R rate which In comparison with other rates Is excessive and An Arm express company In is entitled to charge a II sufficient amount for Its service servIce ice but cannot Justify an aim rate rato by b producing Us lis contracts with tho time railroads Such Sueh contracts contract are entirely between the lie parties themselves They are not In inho tho ho of fixed charges tho aro arc not They Thoy fhe move 1000 upon n ii sliding scale scalo dependent entirely upon tho time rate And 1111 It would ha against the tho highest public policy to permit hermit rates to bo be controlled toy by b such contracts contra cIs be because because cause such sueh practise must m i Inevitably tend to promote the tho of rates on ill express service Tho could coutil through such Hueh contracts control the thu rates to bo he 10 fixed by II thu compa companies nies and It l would be to titer ther interest always to Increase rates rate so long lOllS as an a tho the traffic would move moe thereon for or by hy their portion of tho tue receipts under i tho time contract would bo lIo Increased rho order requires required tho time United Express company to reduce the rates by hy Jim Junn a 15 IB and supplies a II schedule for fOI forthe the thu guidance |