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The Commoner
'AUGUST,
i i"
10
Interstate Commerce Commission Orders
Cut in Express Rates
An Associated Press dispatch from
Washington, under date of August 4,
says:
Reductions in express rates, which
will cost the companies fully $26,
000,000 a year, approximately 16 per
cent of their gross revenue, were or
dered . by the interstate commerce
commission to become effective on or
before October 15, 1913.
Notable reforms in practices also
were ordered.
The most important change pre
scribed by the order is by way of
modification of the present graduat
ed scale of parcel rates.
One hundred pound rates for short
distances either have been left un
changed or slightly reduced; for
longer distances they have been low
ered. For fifty pounds or less, all rates
have been rsduced.
For i .ckages more than four
pounds going more than 200 miles
and less than 2,000, the new express
rates are generally lower than the
parcel post rates; for more than"
3,000 miles the rates are practically
the same.
The report . nd order of the com
mission, prepared by Commissioner
John R. Marble, are virtually an af
firmation of the findings of Commis
sioner Franklin K. Lr.ne, now secre
tary of the interior.
It prescribes a so-called system, di
viding the United States into 950
blocks, averaging 2,600 square miles
as originally proposed by Mr. Lane,
900,000,000 different rates now pub
lished by the express companies will
be reduced to less than 650,000, and
the interstate commerce commission
believes the system points the way to
a solution of the existing naze of
freight rates.
The general impression in official
quarters is that the express compa
nies will attempt to test by legal
means the constitutionality of the
commissioner's order.
The requirements of the order of
June 3, 1Q 12, that a label shall bo at
tached to each parcel, is modified to
the extent that in case of shipments
of perishable property, consisting of
two or more packages, the label need
be attached to only one package.
The express companies had filed
statements indicating the loss of rev
enue under the proposed rates., would
be intolerable and argued strenuously
that the establishment of the parcel
post had deprived them of quite 30
per cent of the revenue they formerly
received from parcels of eleven
pounds or less. They contended that
the express business could not sur
vive the losses from business sources.
"This is equivalent to saying,"
comments Commissi jaer Marble in
his report, "that inasmuch ai ship
pers have been given the convenience
and economy of the parcel post, the
express carriers must on that account
be allowed to charge higher rates
than otherwise would be reasonable.
That is to say. the commission is
called on to take from the shippers
of the country all the benefit they
receive from the parcel post, and give
it to the .express companies in the
form of higher rates on the remain
ing business." The report says:
"The order is for two years only.
That period will give abundant op
portunity for a test of these rates
under various conditions amounting
to a normal average. In no other
way can the absolutely proper rate
basis for respondents lo finally do
torminad. Rerpondonts are also at
liberty at any time to bring forward
now facts as a basis for a petition
for modification of this or any other
order."
The decision of the commission, de
ferred as it has for more than a year,
followed an investigation that occu
pied nearly six yeai j of he. ring, spe
cial examination of roports and ac
counts covering in detail the vrrious
phases of the express business Near
ly a carload of books and papers
have been filed and ore a part of the
proceedings in this case. ,
MR. BRYAN'S CRITICS
For his Chautauqua lectures, Mr.
Bryan is criticised. It would be
strange for Mr. Bryan to be without
critics. When he is carted off to the
cemetery, they will probably criticise
him for the time and method of his
burial.
If Mr. Bryan were an apostle of
privilege, there would bo no criti
cisms from the present critics. There
was no criticism from them of Sec
retary of State Knox when he jour
neyed about the United States from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, campaign
ing for Mr. Taft. There were no
criticisms from them of Secretary of
State Root when he ambled about the
country making most excellent cam
paign addresses.
There was no criticism of Mr. Taft,
when is secretary of war, he made
a tour around the world occupying
several months during which he hob
nobbed with crowned heads and left
the duties of his great office to the
ctfTe of underlings.
There was no criticism from them
of Mr. Taft -when he repeatedly put
tho Whlto IIoubo on wheels and
rolled it all over tho country, putting
up his political fonccs. In four yearn,
tho amlablo and delightful Mr. Taft
twice toured tho country as far as
tho Pacific coast, carrying the presi
dential ofllco In his suit caso, and
covering a distance by railroad novor
equalled by any other chief execu
tive. And behold, not a criticism,
not a challenge, not a hint fell from
tho lips of thoso now attacking Mr,
Bryan.
Criticism from those who are con
demning Mr. Bryan In tho present in
stance is a hotter sign than would
bo their commendation. That his oh
deavors havo mado enemies of thorn
1b decidedly to Mr. Bryan's credit.
Ho could win their plaudits quickly
by coming out as an exponent of
plutocracy and privilege. It Is be
cause ho has not sought their appro
bation that ho Is widely beloved by
millions of his countrymen.
It makes no difference whothor
Mr. Bryan does or does not make
Chautauqua addresses during his va
cation period. He will be criticised
for something else if ho doesn't.
None need caro Icbs than he since tho
criticisms of his critics havo given
Mr. Bryan one of tho greatest follow
ings of any leader who ever lived in
tho United States. Portland (Ore.)
Journal.
LOOKING FOR HELP
Merchant (to detective) "Some
fellow has been representing him
self as a .collector of ours. He's been
taking in more money than any two
of tho men wo havo and I want him
collared as quickly as possible."
Detective "All right. I'll have
him in Jail in less than a week."
Merchant "Great Scott, man! I
don't want to put him in Jail; I want
to engage him." Boston Transcript.
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