Show DIFFERENTIALS Interstate Commerce Commission Resumes the Hearing g San Francisco April 2 The Inter Interstate Interstate interstate state commerce commission resumed today the hearing of the complaint of St Louis manufacturers against Pa Pacific Pacific coast jobbers and the Southern Pacific company charging that a com corn combination in restraint of trade has been effected to the detriment of the middle west Charles Cha Holbrook president nt of the firm finn of Holbrook Merrill Merrin Stet Stetson Stetson Stetson son and vice president of the Pacific Coast Jobbers association was the first witness s Asked as to the effect of lowering the differentials he said the result would be that local dealers would get more freight by water Then ThEm he ho would have to buy on the Atlantic coast and not in inthe inthe inthe the middle west where a great deal of purchasing has been done He said that in im the last year he received only 22 per cent of his freight by water Holbrook presented a statement show showing showing ing lag the percentage of freight shipped to this city by his firm in the last ten years ears It showed an increase of rail shipments since 1897 Asked if he thought the existing differentials were just juat ho he said laid they were He said he would never abandon water shipments because vessels are a factor in the con eon control control trot of the railroad rates Holbrook said that late in the iOS and early in the SOs the merchants be began began began gan to ship in large quantities when the tho railroad became an excuse to se secure secure secure cure the freight that was then being brought by sea He lIe said the tho lowering of ot rates had the effect of letting the middle west jobbers into competition on ott this coast roast coastOn COastOn On Mr Holbrook was asked ask d what benefit if any would result to the consumer if differentials should d be lowered I 1 dont think the UlO consumer would be benefited at all said he for the reason that the goods are brought here and distributed with a very email small mar margin margin margin gin of profit If I the differentials are lowered l the result would simply be the shifting of the business busi of distribution from the local manufacturers and job jobbers jobbers bers hers to the St Louis houses Would d it not be better for the re retail retail tail tall merchants of this coast if they were permitted to purchase In St Louis Chicago or ther other places in lit the east rather than ue confined to a narrower market Perhaps it would |