We must remember in considering this question that the majority of advances have resulted from the practice of the roads in the reduction of rates to meet certain commercial and economic conditions at the time, which have usually been the result of appeals from shippers and suggestions from commercial organizations. We desire to direct attention to the statement filed before the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce upon a similar bill to this by the chairman of the committee of the Southwestern Traffic Association, which is as follows: "A very small percentage of the changes in freight rates, either reductions or advances, is evolved by railroad officials. Practically every change in rates is the result of suggestion from one or more shippers, who find that by some modification in the existing schedules their business in a certain territory can be increased by enabling them to meet competition which they encounter from other sources of supply, which are in most cases served by rival railroads. Their representation is that by the proposed change their profit or business will be increased, and consequently the railroad serving them will share in an augmented traffic which, at the time of the suggestion, is being handled by the rival shipper and carrier. "Ninety or more per cent. of these suggestions are for reductions in rates or for changes in rules and regulations beneficial to shippers and classed as reductions. The railroad company is anxious at all times to increase its traffic and gives a keen ear to such pleas of the shipper. The railroad official to whom such requests are made carefully investigates the conditions recited by the shipper and, by correspondence with such railroad's representatives at the points of origin and destination, confirms, if possible, the views of the shipper and the effect of the proposed change on the tonnage and revenue of the company. The traffic official of the railroad thus being daily engaged in investigations of this kind becomes very proficient in his knowledge of the factors surrounding the movement of the principal articles of commerce and becomes, after experience, a ready judge of the merit of such propositions. When thus convinced, he becomes the agent of the shipper in securing the proposed adjustment. This may take the form of suggesting to a rival railroad that the advantage which its shippers have enjoyed is unjust and that he should be permitted, without any corresponding reduction on the part of such rival railroad, to reduce his rate that the complaining shipper may profitably secure an increased share of the competitive traffic in question. Being unable to thus persuade the competing railroad of the merits of such a contention he is forced to proceed by reducing his own rate without regard