The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-10-23
THE TRANSIT QUESTION.

The more the question relative to
shipping wheat in transit is investigated,
the more il suggests careful and judicl-
Gus procedure on the part of the rail-
road commissioners. As we understand
the matter. il is now left optinal with the
shipper, and he can transport his wheat
In Chicago at "flat" rate, or il he choose
can bill To any milling stations in "tran-
sit" But il is said now that the COM
missioners are determined Ia have the
transit system abolished. Unless the
railroad companies make II most deci-
siye reduction i'm their local tariff. this
ruling,it seems Ia us, after careful study,
is bound Ia work great injury Ia the mill
ing interests. excepting nj terminal
points, and comparative loss la the
farmers.
To make this matter plain Ia our read
ers, We will give IN example ar two,
which will show the point We make.
viz: that either the railroads will have
Ia make an unusually low fiat" rate, or
else the adjustment of the transit ls all
wrong. The transit rate from Wells.
Mapleton and Good Thunder, on the &.
VI. u 81. L. road, In Chicago, via Man
kato, is pa cents per hundred. The
wheat shipped from any of these stations
can Ice brought Ia Mankato, ground into
flour and re-shipped al Tins figure. The
rate from Mankato Ia Chicago Is % cents
per hundred. which leaves the tariff
from any of the stations named Ia Man
kato just ?! cents per hundred pounds,
or about 10 cents less than the presen
local rate. The same rates are established
| between this point and Lake Crystal,
whine on the &. Il y. W. the transit
rate from Nicollet and other near hy-
stations is only ac. per hundred more
than from Mankato. Ii can H. ,.i''Iriy
seen therefore that Ia abolish the transit
system and force our mlllers, for instance,
Ia paw thirteen cents per hundred, or
any other local rate that the railroad
companies could establish, for freight
that they now receive for y cents, would
work an irreparable injury To these en-
terprises, and for that matter all other
outside mills in the State would suffer
equally with ours.
II cannot ne denied that with the ex-
cessiye local tariff, the transit rates have
made il possible la operate large mills
in small towns on al equal footing with
| Minneapolis, and il has also had the ct,
feet of aiiording the farmer better prices
for understandable wheat. Many of these
outside mills have lines of elevators, and
are active competitors for wheat, and
are important factors in keeping prices
higher than would otherwise he the
casc-the transit rates allowing them Ia
handle the wheat to good advantage. Ia
abolish this rate now, unless the rail
roads will make the local rate in and the
local rate out la Chicago aggregate nu
more than the one through transit
rate, these outside mills will he forced
la the wall or contine themselves simp-
IN Ia what wheat can he had at their
doors which, in ease of mills of any size
amounts tn the same thing, rs the mills
do not get half their supplies AT home
and as a consequence II would enure Ia
the benefit Of central points like Min
neapolis.
With this condition Of affairs existing
how LONG wouid II take for the great
milling center of Minnesota To monopol
iZe the wheat market of the Northwes,
and stamp out all competition in the
flour business? Not long. surely. With
the transit system in operation, il has
been possible for millers Ia build NJ
large businesses at interior points, pay
ing good prices for wheat and proving
of great value To the farming community
by furnishing cheap mill feed, and t.
the commercial interests of cities where
these mills are located.
Tins il subject that cannot he hand
led with too much forcthought, and the
Commissioners will look 10 all localities
and see whether there is TO he any in
Justice wrought To some sections for the
benefit and enrichment of others.