Page:The truth about the railroads (IA truthaboutrailro00elli).pdf/154

Rh decision, knowing that it is likely to be appealed from. The commission will be in time deluged with complaints. In trying to settle the questions submitted to it, the commission would have to adopt one of two courses. It might try to do exactly what the railroad-owners are doing,—adjust rates upon business principles, taking into consideration every element that affects the movement of commodities, weighing every situation, discussing the claims of communities and shippers, and finally rendering a decision which, when made, must be the rate until the same process is gone through with again. No matter how wise or able one set of commissioners may be, it would be physically impossible for them, sitting in Washington, to dispose promptly of the cases submitted to them. Then the suggestion would be for additional commissions, and in time the Federal Government would have as many people engaged in the rate-investigation, rate-discussion, and rate-adjusting business as the railroads now have. In other words, they would become the Rh