THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
investigation, should proceed with readjustment of relative freight
rates.
Congress should direct the Army Engineers to make a compre-
hensive survey and present a definite plan and schedule of priorities
for waterway development.
To determine more fully the possibilities of inland waterway
transport under private operation and thus enable the government
the sooner to dispose of the lines, the Secretary of War should be
given authority and funds to continue operation of the barge lines
on the Mississippi and Warrior Rivers in accordance with good
commercial practice.
Waterways service, including through rail-and-water routes and
rates with suitable divisions of rates between the two types of
carrier, should be facilitated by public and private agencies wher-
ever economically warranted and in the public interest.
Optional store-door collection and delivery with reasonable and
separately itemized trucking charges in the published tariffs should
be established as rapidly as practicable by agreement between car-
riers and shippers, beginning at the centers of greatest congestion.
Wherever experience indicates that it will be in the public
interest, regulatory bodies should facilitate the utilization of motor
transport to replace uneconomical forms of rail service, to relieve
yard and terminal congestion and to extend existing steam and
electric railway services.
The rates and services of motor common carriers, both freight
and passenger, should be subject to regulation by the state and
federal commissions which have jurisdiction over the operation of
other common carriers having particularly in view insuring to the
public adequate, economical and continuous service.
In addition to bearing an equitable share of the general tax
burden, the road users should pay the entire cost of maintenance of
improved highways through special taxes levied against them, such
special taxes being applied exclusively to that purpose. (Referen-
dum No. 43, submitted March 22, 1924.)
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