Show COLORADOS COLORADO'S RA RATE IE FIGHT THREATENS j I REDUCTION OF JOBBING TERRITORY IMPORTANT GASES CASES WILL BE HEARD IN ZION Rate Problem Problem of West MayBe May MayBe MayBe Be Settled at November November Novem Novem- ber her Hearings Announcement Is IB made from Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington that the transcontinental tal railroad rate case will be reopened and that among the hearings scheduled one will be held in Salt Lake beginning November 28 Henry an examiner and attorney attorney at at- torney for the commission formerly a member of the N Nevada v da railroad commission commission corn com com mission will conduct the hearings Commissioner is not a 8 stranger strang strang- er in Salt Lake having attended s a number of hearings held here while h he sI I was still a member of the Nevada body Other hearings scheduled are to be beheld beheld beheld I held at San Francisco December 4 Portland Ore December 11 and Spokane Spokane Spokane kane December 14 While only a 8 brief summary of the I order Is contained In the press dispatch I carrying the announcement a copy oJ of the formal order is expected to reach Salt Lake Tuesday Until this order is I I received and can be examined by traffic traffic fic tic experts the full scope scope of the hearing hearing hear hear- ing lug and a full estimate of Its Importance importance Import import- ance t to this section cannot be definitely r defined Settlement in Sight From the brief summary contained in the press dispatch I am of the opinion opinion opinion ion that the commission will make an effort in these hearings to settle permanently permanently permanently per per- the rate problem In the West Vest said W. W S. S McCarthy vice president president president pres pres- ident of the traffic service bureau of Utah The contention of the railroads is that rates to tg the Anterior are based on water water competition As a matter mattel of fact there is no water competition There are no ships to move coastwise ton ton- nage The ships ships' are able to earn so much more In foreign traffic than In coastwise business that they do not handle the latter This question was gone into pretty thoroughly at at atthe the hearing held In Washington last April which I at attended attended at- at i tended with Hal W W. tt representing representing representing the Traffic Service Bureau of Utah The contention w was s made then that because of the wiping out of water competition in the Pacific that the carriers should not be permitted to charge a higher rate to the in interior in- in tenor than they the charge to the coast I can see no reason why the Pacific coast should not pay its own freight Long and and Short Ha Haul l It is hard to say if these hearings will have nave any effect upon the request for reductions of rates made by Denver jobbers into territory tributary to Utah It It may be that these hearings will work out some plan of rates satisfactory satisfactory tory to all alt and that they will thus automatically do away with the Denver Denver Denver Den Den- ver case It Is hard to tell what the effect will be but whatever it Is is it will be vitally important to this section sec sec- tion and to the entire West The main issue Involved in the hearIngs hear hear- hearings ings will be the long and short haul provision of the Interstate commerce laws Traffic in both directions between between be be- tween the Atlantic and the Pacific is inv involved including nearly all commodities com corn but not including the big movement of citrus fruits which moves mores under a blanket rate The commissions commission's order directs also that the fourth section applications for exception from the lon long and short haul clause requirements respecting rates on commodities from eastern territories territories territories ter ter- ter- ter to Pacific coast terminals and intermediate and the applications applications respecting rates on barley beans canned goods dried fruits and wine from California ports by rail and water through Galveston to Atlantic seaboard points be reopened for further hearing hearing hear hear- ing respecting changed conditions that are alleged to Justify other and different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent orders than those already en entered entered en- en by Iby the commission I |