Page:The truth about the railroads (IA truthaboutrailro00elli).pdf/136

Rh large demand for them at one time of the year and a decreased demand at another, a demand to handle business east but nothing west. He therefore goes to work to increase trade by seeking to adjust rates so that he can use up part of his idle transportation by moving products between points where there was no such movement before. It is claimed that if the Commission have power to fix rates, such power would only be exercised occasionally, and that the power to fix a given rate upon complaint does not carry with it the power to fix rates generally. This is not true. Rates in this country are so complicated, are so related to one another, different cities and sections are so competitive, that a change in one rate will force changes in many other rates.

Rates really fix, or adjust, themselves, just as prices in all business transactions fix and adjust themselves. The man who slaughters cattle, hogs, and sheep cannot arbitrarily fix the price to be charged for the different parts or products of the various animals, so much a pound for tenderloin steak, so much a pail for Rh