“The Railroad Commission was asked by the legislature about these discriminations on the Boston and Albany, and a report was handed in by the Commission (1900) saying that the reductions from the published rates averaged 40 percent, and that in different cases they ran from 10 to about 73 percent—fully confirming what the shippers had said. It was admitted, however, that this report was not written by the Railroad Commission. They had passed the question over to the Boston and Albany, and a high official of the road had written the reply. The Railroad Commission admitted that they did not know anything about it. They, however, handed in the report of the railroad official as being true, and it was admitted, both by the railroad, and by the Commission, that these discounts on local rates were being given. The railroad official claimed that the special rates were ‘open to all shippers sending freight under similar circumstances and conditions,’ which may be true if we understand circumstances and conditions’ to include the relations of the shipper to the managers, and his pull with the railroad, but cannot in any other way be made to square with the statements of shippers and the other evidences in the case.” While favored shippers were receiving discounts of 10 percent to 73 percent from the published rates, other shippers, and some doing considerable business, declared that they got no discount at all. During the legislative investigation the matter was put to Samuel Hoar, attorney and director of the Boston and Albany, and he said: “I suppose it is true that no shipper knows what his rival is getting. I suppose it is true. But what of it? What has that to do with the lease?” The receipts per ton-mile on all classes of freight were less than one-half the average of the published rates to the various stations on the road for the cheapest class of freight, viz., coal. And the lowest published local rate on coal was higher than the average rate on all commodities. “The interstate-commerce law was passed in 1887 and the Interstate Commerce Commission was established to abolish the evils of unjust discrimination, but the work has not been accomplished. The Interstate Commerce Commission has told us year after year that the discriminations are still going on; and that they cannot be stopped under present laws at least.”[157]