“Universal complaint has been made to the committee as to the discriminations commonly practised against places, and as to the conspicuous discrepancies between what are usually termed ‘local’ rates and what are known as ‘through’ rates.” In summing up the testimony on pages 180–182 of their report, the committee presents this tremendous indictment: “The complaints against the railroad systems of the United States expressed to the committee are based upon the following charges: “1. That local rates are unreasonably high, compared with through rates. “2. That both local and through rates are unreasonably high at non-competing points, either from absence of competition or in consequence of pooling agreements that restrict its operation. “3. That rates are established without apparent regard to the actual cost of the service performed, and are based largely on what the traffic will bear. “4. That unjustifiable discriminations are constantly made between individuals, in the rates charged for like service under similar circumstances. “5. That improper discriminations are made between articles of freight and branches of business of a like character, and between different quantities of the same class of freight. “6. That unreasonable discriminations are made between localities similarly situated. “7. That the effect of the prevailing policy of railroad management is, by an elaborate system of special secret rates, rebates, drawbacks, and concessions, to foster monopoly, to enrich favored shippers, and to prevent free competition in many lines of trade in which the item of transportation is an important factor. “8. That such favoritism and secrecy introduce an element of uncertainty into legitimate business that greatly retards the development of our industries and commerce. “9. That the secret cutting of rates and the sudden fluctuations that constantly take place are demoralizing to all business except that of a purely speculative character, and frequently occasion great injustice and heavy losses. * * * * * “14. That the differences in the classifications in use in various parts of the country, and sometimes for shipments over the same roads in different directions are a fruitful source of misunderstandings, and are often made a means of extortion. “15. That a privileged class is created by the granting of passes, and that the cost of the passenger service is largely increased by the extent of this abuse. “16. That the capitalization and bonded indebtedness of the roads largely exceed the actual cost of their construction or their present value, and that unreasonable rates are charged in the effort to pay dividends on watered stock, and interest on bonds improperly issued. * * * * *