2. Show in what way natural waterways have determined the location of leading cities in America.
3. Give examples of cities whose growth has been caused by railroads.
4. Upon what considerations are commodities classified for shipment by railroads? Is classification unfair discrimination? Illustrate by an example.
5. What classes of interests are affected by increasing the minimum weight for carloads? Explain in each case whether the effect is favorable or unfavorable and the reasons therefor.
6. Does cost of service have anything to do with the rates charged by railroads?
7. Give an example of a blanket rate territory and the reasons therefor.
8. What is the "long and short haul" clause of the Interstate Commerce Act? Explain why railroads make rates which contravene the terms of this clause, and why the government should forbid the railroads to make such rates.
9. A railroad connecting two competitive points charges one-fourth of a cent per ton mile on grain shipments from its inland terminus, while it charges one cent per ton mile on grain shipments from non-competitive territory. What considerations have probably led to the establishment of the above rates?
Might not the railroad increase its net revenue by raising the rate on through traffic to one-half cent per ton mile and lowering the local rate to three-fourths of a cent per ton mile?
10. The rate on corn in carload lots from Omaha, Neb. to Newport News, Va. is 10 cents per hundred pounds. From the Omaha region there are competing carriers to the Gulf and other Atlantic ports. The rate on corn in carload lots from points in Virginia to Newport News over the same route is 12 cents per hundred pounds. Could not the local rates be lowered if the carriers advanced the rates on the long-distance haul?