Show t Just Discrimination in Railway Rates All railroad men men- qualified to speak on the subject In a responsible way are likely Jo fO to agree with President j Samuel Spencer of ot the Southern Railway Railway Railway Rail- Rail way when he says There is no division dl dl- vision of opinion as to the desirability of ot stopping all secret or unjustly discrIminatory discriminatory discriminatory dis- dis devices and practises of I whatsoever character un unjustly r Mr Spencer in speaking of unjustly unjustly un justly discriminatory rates and devices devices de de- vices makes males a distinction which is at ati I i once once apparent to common sense There I may be discrimination in freight rates' rates wh which is just reasonable and and Imperatively imperatively Impera- Impera required by the complex commercial com com- mercial and geographical conditions i with which expert rate makers have 3 1 v to deal To abolish such open and honest discrimination might paralyze the Industries of cities st states tes and l whole sections of our national terri terrI- tory This Thill distinction between just and unjust discrimination Is clearly recognized in the conclusions of the International International International Inter Inter- national Railway Congress published yesterday Tariffs should be based on commercial commer- commer cial principles taking Making into account the special conditions which bear upon the Un commercial value of the services rendered ren rendered rendered ren- ren dered With the reservation that rates shall bel be charged without arbitrary discrimination discrimination dis- dis crimination to all shippers alike under like conditions o S. S the making makin of f rates should ul as far as possible os have have all the elasticity necessary to permit the development development development devel devel- of the traffic and to produce the gr greatest results to fo the public and to the railroads themselves The present pro proposal osal Is as Mr 1 Walker D D. D Hines Hinea of Louisville showed in his remarkable testimony the other day before the Senate Committee at Washington to crystallize flexible ble and justly discriminatory rates Into fixed government rates which cannot be changed except by the intervention of some government tribunal and by this very process to Increase the tem tempia- tempia la- la 1 tion to depart from the published rate v and the lawful rate in order to meet some overpowering and urgent commercial commercial com- com r mercial condition New New York Sun |