70 
Simons—Railroad Pools. 
One of the reforms advocated by all students of transportation 
is a more nearly uniform freight classification. This the pool¬ 
ing advocates claim the pool will secure. They say that since 
under a pool the division of freight and fixing of percentages 
must necessarily be by classes, there will be a constant tendency 
to bring all freight under one of the regular classes, and then 
to make these classes uniform throughout the United States. 
This would accomplish two greatly desired reforms. It would 
unify classifications, and abolish special rates. But it may be 
said in answer to these statements that they would at any rate 
be true only of the traffic pool, while the prevailing sentiment 
seems to be in favor of a money pool as the most desirable form 
to be establisned should pooling be allowed by law. Again, 
the territory covered by the pools would be almost identical 
with that at present covered by the various traffic associations, 
and these have almost all the incentives and ability to procure 
uniform classification that would be possessed by a pool. * * * * 5 In 
fact, so far as the fixing of rates are concerned it is difficult to 
see in what respect they differ from pools, and indeed the pool 
is only asked for as means of maintaining the rates established 
by these associations. But the results which they have attained 
in this matter, although undoubtedly of value, certainly leave 
much to be desired, when a single railroad (the C. & N. W.) 
within the territory covered by one of these associations (The 
Western Traffic) issued 12,500 special tariffs between January 
1st, 1893, and September 16th, 1895. 6 Moreover, it would 
appear that the movement toward uniformity has been more 
rapid since the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act and the 
if railroad managers have the power to make the classifications, they 
need care but little for laws prohibiting them from favoring large 
shippers by means of special rates, rebates, etc ” See also “ Report of 
General Conference of Railroad Commissioners,” March, 1889, pp. 36-60. 
Ibid., 1890, pp. 121-134. 
5 See “Extract from Senate Report No. 1394, Second Session, Fifty- 
second Congress,” (McCain Report) p. 405, for list of these associations 
and territory covered by each, where it will be seen that they are almost 
identical as to territory with the old pools, which they supplanted. 
6 Ibid., pp. 404-408, where it is shown that the movement toward uni¬ 
formity has been most rapid in recent years. 
