| Show RATE FIGHT IS OUTLINED OUTLINE Efforts of Railroad Re- Re Reviewed R viewed By Association Secretary A letter sent by James ames A Ford For secretary of the Intermediate Rate Ha association to President Juilus H Barnes Barnea of ot the United States cham- cham chamber chan ch ber of commerce outlines the tho th pend- pend pendIng pen pei jag Ing inn tIght fight lit In-lit of nf tho hn railroads to get g back to the old of o discrimInatory railroad rates In favor tavor ot cities s on t tre tO 0 Pacific coast as i against cities citie In the th Interior The Tho letter I follow follow- My My Dear Mr Barnes Barne In lew of the fact tact that t 1 United States hamber of ot con Is i devoting a n great treat deal ot time and study now to the trans trans- tran tra problem with Ith five com com- comI con I at worl work on this question with a a purpose of ot making malting a report by the first of at D December cember I want to I I Iby tale take the liberty of ot calling your at- at al tendon to a a condition that exist In the tho Intel mount vest nest est which we bello o belr e is ital sital Ital and should be t considered In any ony proposition looi Ing Ine to the of ot the tho railroad question I X am this thia letter to you yo yoon yon on the tb stationer stationery of or the tho Late Ioto Rate Hote association rather than tha than th on n the th stationery of the th chamber of commerce In order to gh e you an Ide Idea of the tho th scope c che of the he Intermediate Rate Hate association and what It This or- or organizatIon 01 represents nine states state all ill of which are contributing In- In fin to the support of the th or- or organization or Its membership In- In Includes in 1 eludes ludes state stat commissions commercial organizations farmer organizations trade trad assocIations mining associations firms and In- In Individuals in throughout the tho Inter Inter- Intermountain mountain vest nest We Ve W aro brine tor or the th one purpose of ot protecting the he intermountain territory fro unjust freight rate rato YEU 30 FIGHT As A you probably know for 25 2 or r 3 30 0 ears various arlous communities In 11 the Intermountain west vest have ha oUght fought against the th violations of the tb section of ot the Interstate act kno nn kno-nn n as ne the tho loni long loi and nd short haul clause clauso for 30 years year ears the th railroads in bringing commodities from the tho east ea t ha e has ba hauled allied them right through our ou 01 ards ard and on to the tho coast dis coast dl ances of at from to 1600 miles greater Teeter for tor a a cheaper freight rate rab than ban they h ho o o charged us toUtS folks In Inthe Ii the th he Intermountain territory for tor the thi t shorter borter haul In March ISIt 1918 we w secured ter- ter terminal t minal inal rates Two years ago aro the th tl railroads railroad again r renewed the tho attack upon pon tho the Intermountain territory by 7 tiling filing an application with the th Commerce commission eking asking for tor to again ro- ro re r turn ira to the th old rate die dis- dis discrimination crimination This application In- In Involved in hundreds of ot commodities To o gite ghe rl you one oni on example might say ty that the rate rat on steel nai nas 1 SC 60 i at t that time tim either to Spokane Salt SaIl S Lake he or to the Pacific coast In this the tho th railroads Bought aught to reduce the rate on stee ite to the coast poInts point to 1 U but to tc i maintain a 1 10 SO rate rato at the tb Inter Inter- Into mediate points for tor the horter shorter haul hai We c fought this application Tt Th The hole hole hol Intermountain territory rose ros se In unison and aDd en masse mase ana an last st November wo we received a decisIon Ion a from the Interstate commerce common commission In our sing Follo follow Ine tha that decision and dui dur dur- dur durIn In Inc L the th holda s the railroads vol- vol voluntarily vol vo announced d reductions on ona o a great treat may commodities commod ties es mal making the reduction apply appi both th to the points and an to the tho coast alike Take TaKo steel for tor fc example again The reduced the rate rato ite on steel to U fl both to Spokane Reno eno Salt Lake Lako City as a Tell edt ell as asto t to the Pacific coast terminals About two months ago aeo tho rail rail- railroads ral roads asked the tho Intermediate Rate Ral association for tor a II conference wo we C granted them Tho The meeting as vi as held at Salt Lake City andas and sas as ni attended by es of ot all allot a of ot the western transcontinental railroads and by es ot of eight Intermountain states At this conference the tho advised us l that mt they were going colne to tile bile a new application n-application application not so S j as the one this L inc confined to t a 0 relatively few main main- mainly ly steel and Iron goods paper etc eti Again Acala gain take tak steel 13 os an e example ample B By this its application they asked for per per- permission mission to reduce the tho rate rat on steel ste to I Pacific Coast terminals to leaving us u folks In the Intermountain tain territory to pay the tb 1 rate Ill In view of ot the th tact fact that ve so have aye received redactions from 1 50 to 1 tl the railroads railroad seem cem to think thin that lat we es e ought now to acquiesce In their decision to make a 0 further reduction to the th coast without n I hout givIng Ing ig us tho the benefit of It We Ve of course urse cannot a accede TO so o any sUCh proposition It Is unfair and uneconomic economic I am enclosing copy otie the ie letter no iso e addressed to the th rail rail- railroads roads ads setting forth our position and rid reasons reason tor for refusal to ith their request The railroads are now threaten threaten- threatenIng I Ing to file this thia which would place the ter- ter terI territory ter territory under a a great creat expense and anol heavy labor In defending and protecting pro pro- protecting pro I our interests ts RO LIf r Now hat nhat has hall this thi to do Ith Ith I the general transportation problem which Is being studied by you committee Until the railroads meet this question fairly and squarely and give the Intermountain tam tain territory an honest square deal there thor can never be bl any peace between us and tho the railroads Wo We Weare Weare are not opposed to the railroads Our whole depends upon transportation and no one appreciates It more snore than sic ve e do doWe e want to see 10 ee tho the railroads de- de develop de develop and prosper and wo we are ine a ill ill- jog Ing to pay a freight rate that will u them to do ilo a a 0 good profit- profit profitable profit able able ablo business but we wo cannot pay paya paya paya a discriminatory freight rate rote We Vo can pay jut just as a high a freight rate rato rateus liS as our neighbor bol but no higher As Ae Aea Ato a 0 matter of fact the th Intel tain moun- moun tala tam territory tho the shorter haul It if there I Is 1 any difference In Inthe inthe the rate It should bo ho In our favor tavor Certainly when the railroads railroad charge i us as high a rate as aa they charge to the coast there is enough dis ci by reason reMon of the tho great great- er t cr hr r distance of at the coast haul By reason of ot tho the refusal of ot the th railroads to meet mett thi this question ie e folks In the tain territory aro forced Into n a position wo so do net desire to bo ho InI In that that Is 1 fightIng the tho railroads We Weare Weare Ware I are In tact fact fightIng tor for our exist existence I enc ence enCO but In loin doln so o we w are ar sun sun- sim simply ply feeding fuel tuel to the th very ry ele- ele sic Ie 1 Dl inu nu l the th very Interests of the radical lead leaders rs who ho are aro ar male male- makI milc I tn- tn tho the solution of ot the th railroad I problem m so s o difficult This we w 1 re- re r I gret We W are to cod to keep some sorno company we no e would ouM rather not keep Wo are forced to make some ome asso asso- associations asso- asso associations association and alliances that are nrc not notI wholly of ot our O choice but are ar of ot a necessity to our very existence e The Tho The Intermountain territory Is ed d and is In this fight with the determination that there shall 1 bo be 0 no compromise Wo We will III bo represented l Washington with a strong legation di next fall to protect our interests It will probably be bo necessary for tor u us to reopen the whole fourth section matter before esa and d Insist on an amendment to the fourth see sec section lec lection tion of at tho Intel tate Commerce FORcING HOSTILE POSITION Now at a 11 time when the th rail rail- railroads railroads rail railroads roads need friends when es e cry o cry ery sane ani business man Is to see tho the I railroad problem ly Iy and properly the tho oads b their attitude aio forcing nine states Into a hostile position them them-nino nino staten state that should mould bo be their best bc t friend and that desire delre to be their best beat friends trl nd Whatever transportation p Is brought up UI In Congress this till winter It will certaInly become becom Involved In our case In tIle the th west wet We are aro going Rolae to e base to tight with the materials at our hands We Vo cannot entirely choose choos our s It seeMS vo to mo me that the th tIme timo has ha come coma hen hen somo sorno strong stron men should take tako hold of this sit sit- situation sit looking to its It proper an and 1 just solution I I think It Is a mat mat- matter ter that Is deser de ln er Int of ot the trio most tu iy by lour our committees and I think yo you wilt will agree that nub Ith the tho close dl l dl Islon lon In congress the tho votes of tho the congressmen and an tora from states are well worth considering I x regret exceedingly that your committees cs on transportation do donot donot not have better representation from the Intermountain territory ThIs probably la is l moro our fault than ours In not taking a more active part In your mc me But ut the distance from ho to tho the Atlantic Coast Is Treat great and requires s time and expense and our commer 1 I organizations hll haio hoso 0 found it difficult to send Bond ond tho es that they liko hiko to 10 the National chamber meetings I We have strong men In tho the In- In In west who would make mako valuable timber for sour lour our transportation transportation tation committees I have hav In mind R H B D Peterson president of ot the Spokane Dry Goods Good I also have hav In mind W fl R McCarth traffic manager of at the tho Salt Lake hardware company Mr McCarthy McCar McCar- McCarthy McCarthy thy Is president of the th dl-ata dl ato tO Rate Rato association sedition I also might mention V F 1 J Shear chairman ot of the traffic bureau of the Reno Rono I Nevada revada chamber chomber of commerce might also alo make mak other suggestions to ou I I hope you will gl gRe glI I this mat mat- matter matter ter real serious consideration liS as honestly I do not Dot believe bellevo that It ItIs itis Is going to be to havo have the transportation really con con- considered con considered In a strictly businesslike of the tho nay siny from the tho i best Interests of all concerned SO continue continuo to long a as the railroads force the territory Into a position of opposition to them and so o long lone as a a we wo are aro forced to resort to every evry moans means at our command to protect our very eco ceo eco life lilt Ith bet best wIsh eo Sincerely yours your J J FORD Secretary |
