"2. A classification of freight designating different classes for car-load quantities and for less than car-load quantities for transportation at a lower rate in car-loads than in less than car-loads is not in contravention of the act to regulate commerce. The circumstances and conditions of the transportation in respect to the work done by the carrier and the revenue earned are dissimilar, and may justify a reasonable difference in rate. The public interests are subserved by car-load classification of property that, on account of the volume transported to reach markets or supply the demands of trade throughout the country, legitimately or usually moves in such quantities.

"3. Carriers are not at liberty to classify property as a basis of transportation rates and impose charges for its carriage with exclusive regard to their own interests, but they must respect the interests of those who may have occasion to employ their services, and conform their charges to the rules of relative equality and justice which the act prescribes.

"4. Cost of service is an important element in fixing transportation charges and entitled to fair consideration, but is not alone controlling nor so applied in practice by carriers, and the value of the service to the property carried is an essential factor to be recognized in connection with other considerations. The public interests are not to be subordinated to those of carriers, and require proper regard for the value of the service in the apportionment of all charges upon traffic.

"5. A difference in rates upon car-loads and less than car-loads of the same merchandise, between the same points of carriage, so wide as to be destructive to competition between large and small dealers, especially upon articles of general and necessary use, and which, under existing conditions of trade furnish a large volume of business to carriers, is unjust and violates the provisions and principles of the act.

"6. A difference in rate for a solid car-load of one kind of freight from one consignor to one consignee, and a carload quantity from the same point of shipment to the same destination, consisting of like freight or freight of like character, from more than one consignor to one consignee or from one consignor to more than one consignee, is not justified by the difference in cost of handling.

"7. Under the official classification the articles known in trade as grocery articles are so classified as to discriminate unjustly in rates between car-loads and less than car-loads upon many articles, and a revision of the classification and rates to correct unjust differences and give these respective modes of shipment more relatively reasonable rates is necessary and is so ordered."

The efforts which the commission has made to bring about a uniform classification throughout the country are in the right direction, while the results of its labor are not yet satisfactory.

In their fifth annual report, the Commissioners, after giving an account of their efforts and the shuffling and double-dealing of the railroad companies with them upon this matter of uniform classification, said:

"Its conviction remains unchanged that the necessities of commerce require that the existing classifications be consolidated, and that this result should be accomplished as speedily as may be found practicable; and it does not feel justified in asking for the further efforts of the carriers the same measure of indulgence which from time to time it has heretofore suggested should be extended to them, and which was thought to be required in the public interest.

"The commission can not but think that if legislation to that end be enacted by Congress the carriers will speedily consummate the reform already begun in this direction. It is therefore recommended that an act be passed requiring the adoption within one year from the date of its passage of a uniform classification of freight by all the carriers, subject to the act to regulate commerce, and providing that if the same be not adopted within the time limited, either this commission or some other public authority be required to adopt and enforce a uniform classification."