CASE VING MOUNTAIN FREIGHT RATES IS SOON TO BE DECIDED I New York Dec Do 27 A dispatch to the Journal of Commerce from WashIngton Wash Washington ington says eys The interstate commerce commission will render as a early arly a decision as pos pan possible sible ible on the important cases ases before them In regard to the difference in charges on carload lots and on frac fractions fractions of a carload The case has been postponed until April 15 when the final I testimony will be taken It is expected that the arguments will immediately follow and that the tae issues involved can then be taken ken t ap up by the commis commission commissIon I sion sian The case ha hn haa attracted wide widespread widespread widespread spread attention among railway men and shippers because of the novel points involved The issue Is made principally by a leading hardware company of St S1 StLouis StLouis Louis but has bas the support of the Business Mens League Leue of St Louis Louls It involves a considerable class cs of hardware and d ad in which St 51 Louis firms come in conflict with New Nev York firms firma and with the jobbers on the Pacific coast The main contention of the St Louis shippers shipp rs is that there should not be so wide a dif difference difference difference ference as at present between the rates on carload lots of their goods and smaller lots The difference amounts in some cases to nearly per cent the rate per pounds in small lots amounting to nearly twice the rate on carload lots The freight rates between n the two oceans are involved because of the uniformity of rate on carload carIad lots lot from New York to San Francisco and from St Louis to San Francisco The re vu remarkable fact that the New York rate Is no higher than the St S1 Louis rate In spite of the thousand miles mUes or more of difference In distance is due to the water competition around Cape Horn The complaint is made by St Louis shippers that they cannot ship retail I consignments to patrons in the Rocky mountain I district so cheaply as s car carload carl load 4 l a lots can be shipped to San Fran FranCisco Franciseo Cisco jobbers and anc shipped by them east t eastin in small lots to their local I gives the New York Y ork shippers e 5 cording cord lug ing to the St Louis Louie line Une of argument tg th a distinct advantage