Show PROTEST THE NEW RATE ON WOOL S. S W. W McClure and find H. H V. W. Sa Say Proposed Freight Raise is Absolutely Unjust to the tho West Nest es t Vigorous protest was made before the tho railroad administration against the proposed heavy increase in the transcontinental freight rate on wool S S. S W. W McClure of Salt Lake speaking for the Wool- Wool growers' growers association and H. H W. W of Salt Lake representing the Traffic Service Bureau Dureau of Utah speaking for wool interests The protests were heard by Edward Chambers director of or traffic and Max Thelen chief of the tho public service service service ser ser- vice section No intimation was given given given en as to the ultimate action to be taken The Tho protest was aimed primarily at the tho proposal to increase the rate from Portland to Boston Doston from to with proportionate proportion proportion- ate increases at other Pacific coast points These Increases from coast terminals Intermountain growers fear would result in further increases es in rates from their territory to Boston Doston In the course of ot the hearing it was shown that the proposed rate on wool in the grease of ot which 60 per percent percent percent cent is dirt would be substantially higher than the rate on wool clothing clothing cloth cloth- ing on which the rate is only ou on hops in bales on which the rate is also and the rate on oranges from California to Boston Doston which is Dr McClure laid before the railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road administration a j sive statement of the wool industry in the west today showing the marked decline in the production of sheep the Increase in costs that must be met by the pointed to the prospect that these costs will increase rather than di diminish diminish diminish di- di minish because of the drought of the past summer and said that an advance In freight rates would be another burden to the and would lead to further increases in the cost of clothing to the con con- sumer The singling out of wool for fora a special advance which in to some instances In Instances instances in- in stances under the proposal would be beas beas beas as much as 91 per cent he maintained maintained maintained main main- could not be defended and he urged a continuation of present rates if that can be granted as I these rates are already 25 26 per cent above the prewar rates I Mr speaking for the I Utah Idaho and Montana contended that the entire principle laid down by the railroad administrator adminis- adminis i was wrong and that Instead of raising the Portland rate to bring about a more equitable relationship with the Intermountain country there now being no actual water competition to justify a lower rate on the coast than Is enjoyed In Utah and neighboring states the railroad administration should regard the pr present sent coast rate or substantially that rate as the maximum and should grade down the rates from interior points Having a shorter haul to Boston Doston he proposed a scale of rates on wool in the grease in bales as follows From Portland 2 Spokane Boise Dolse 82 1 Missoula and from Butte Dutte and Salt Lake In the course of his earlier statement statement state state- ment Dr McClure in answer to questions said the price of wool is high but because of the high hig costs met by the tho the actual net returns for 1918 would ld net 6 63 4 per percent percent percent cent on the investment This he lie said was a small return considering considering considering consider consider- ing the fact that is a hazardous Industry which should yield a net return of about 20 per cent He also called attention to the fact that there is now a surplus of wool on hand In the United States and if western growers cannot dispose dispose dispose dis dis- dis- dis pose of their wool un under reasonable freight rates they wi will I be subjected cd to real hardship especially in view of the purpose to import considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able quantities of foreign wool especially especially es es- from Australia If this foreign foreign foreign for for- eign wool is given free access to the he Boston Doston market it is feared it will be offered at prices which will under high transcontinental rates leave the western wool In western warehouses ware ware- houses Yesterday Mr 11 and 3 o. H. H Love Loye of Salt Lake appeared before the same officials of oC the he railroad administration administration administration ad ad- ministration In opposition to the proposal of Louisiana sugar gro growers ers that rates on sugar from Louisiana be readjusted on the relationship that was in effect prior to the war The Tho beet sugar and Hawaiian sugar Interests as ns well as Atlantic coast z 1 t refineries all opposed this Louisiana Louisi tf t tana ana proposal Tho The Utah Idaho S Sugar gar interests r i. contended that if the o rates were readjusted readjusted re re- 1 adjusted adjusted on a prewar pr waI basis It would result in large losses o of revenue to their local factories This protest t Di also w was s tak taken under consideration |