| Show UTAH RATES ARE UNJUST Senator Smoot Makes a Tell Telling Telling Telling ing Speech on the Long and Short Haul Amendments and Engages in Argument 4 M 4 MM 44 M 44 M t M MM 4 M 4 4 Special to The f Washington May 12 Senator i Smoot today addressed the Senate 4 in favor of ot the long and short f 4 haul baul amendment to the railroad f 4 bill and presented the view of the 4 4 intermountain country on the ques quest question 4 tion of an equitable rate He had bad 4 t intended making a brief speech 4 but his remarks opened up a col colloquy colloquy i 4 with other senators so that t the he occupied the floor the greater part of the afternoon f fM 4 it 4 4 M 4 4 M M I 4 M M M M H ft 4 M 4 4 M t Mr Smoot said the people of ot the west were ere long suffering patient and conservative but they now feel they can no longer stand the existing situa situation tion and they are complaining against i ithe the unjust burdens they are i ito to bear It is unjust he said for the railroads to charge higher rates from the east to Salt Lake Ike than from the same seme starting point to San Francisco He could not expect them to charge less to Salt Lake though in many cases this should be done but he be would insist upon getting the same rate The sen Continued on Page Two UTAH RATES ARE UNJUST q Continued From Page One Oae ator refuted the statement that the Dixon amendment was predicated upon a mileage basis He said It was not and that he did not believe In a mile mileage mileage mileage age basis but a readjustment of ot the present system is necessary he de declared declared cared He took occasion to cite many instances in instances instances stances where whre goods going west do not pay the same rate as the same goods going east The reason why the west is unable to cope with the situation he be said Is that it has not sufficient su strength to demand Its rights It was shown by the senator through state statements statements statements ments of ot various railroads for the year ending January 31 1909 that through rates to California are remunerative The Central Pacific statements show that 90 per cent of its business was transcontinental business and that It was highly remunerative Proved Hl Hla Case Calle If It the contention of at the opponents of the amendment that the through ates are not remunerative Is wrong as is Is proven pr ven by these statements of the railroads then n the rates to Salt Lake are excessive the senator argued He proved that operating expenses of 0 rail rafi railroads railroads roads in the east are greater than in inthe Inthe inthe the west and called attention to the ratio between operating expenses s ana and earnings of at practically all the railroads for the years ears 1908 and 1909 They showed an increase of ot business and earnings Since the rebate law went Into effect a few years ago rates have haTe not been reduced although the railroads rail rall railroads roads declared that if it rebates were prohibited they would cut rates The senator showed that In the testimony taken before the traffic bureau of ot the Commercial club of Salt Lake It was shown that rebates averaging 10 to 22 per cent are now paid by roads enter enterIng enterIng entering Ing Utah As to the suggestion of ot Senator El Elkins Elkins Elkins kins that if the people of ot the intermountain Inter intermountain mountain country were not satisfied they ought to move out Senator Smoot declared they bad had no intention of ot moving Ha HI called attention to the wonderful growth of the west and said the east must depend upon that section for Its food supply In the fu future future future ture But this question of rates he said is not a sectional question but butone butone one of ot rl right ht and justice |
