St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-24
Giving Reasons Why Stock and Dressed
Beef Shippers Should be
Charged Equal Rates,
And Quotes Agreements Made by the
Pool At Former Meetings Which
Are Violated.
No Special Change in Transconti-
mental Ahairs--Iowa Rail-
way Legislation.
Armour s. Co.'s Reply.

New York Times editorial which saws:
The principle upon which the relative
rates have now been determined is that the
cost or transportation on a pound OF beef
from Chicago TO New York shall be the same
whether the cattle are slaughtered in Chicago |
or slaughtered in New York.
Mr.. Armour says that this is a complete !
change OF the base from the commissioners
former position At meeting in April, |
lSS3, Mr.. Fink announced the principle on |
which the rates were TO be fixed As follows: |
We are 10 consider how to place the |
dressed-beef shippers and live stock ship |
pers upon an equal footing. 50 that a man |
WnO buys in the Eastern market dressed beef |
tnat is shipped from Chicago as such and !
dressed heef that is derived from live stock |
which - shipped from the West and siIugh- !
tered in New York '.will have 10 pay the |
same money per pound.
He has fixed a rate for dressed beef. !
which diScrlmlnateS more against that in |
dustry than any relative rates established |
since 1873, when the railroads first adopted
the principle which the commissioner has
so lately abandoned as untenable. The rates
Tor dressed beef since 1873 have been. first
30, then go, and then - per cent. more
than live stock and now by the new plan
the commissioner has fixed them at S5s
per cent over live stock.
Mr.. Fink would have the public believe
cattle shipper pays So cents on his live cat
tie, gross weight. he really pays 81 cents
hundred on the net produce Of the cattle
in the same form Of beef at New York. Let
us see If this be so. Forty thousand pounds
OF live cattle at 80 cents equals 40. Live
cattle yield an average of 81 per cent
dressed beef; 81 per cent. of 40. 600 equals
-, 500. and $40 freight on %, 500 pounds net
produce gives rate of 81 40 cents per
hundred pounds from Chicago to New
York, but the hides. tallOw, hOOfs, heads
and Oifal, also, We're brought through with
the net beef for $40. The live cattle man
has landed them in New York free.
Dressed beef shipped slaughters at Chicago
and forwards his net produce, -. 500 pounds
10 New York at So cents Der hundred. equal
10 Sl4S.2O. and still has the horns.
hides, tallOw. heads, hOOfs and Oifal which
are also shipped East, and upon which he
must pay full tariff of 80 To 81 cents per
hundred. This, then, is the way Mr..
Fink'S new principle works. lie pro-
poses TO carry a whole steer for the live
stock man for the same money he charges
the dressed beef shipper for half a steer.
The net dressed beef further invites the
dressed beef shipper to forward the re-
naming half OF his steer at tariff rates. Mr..
Fink'S assertion that the railroad company
the business of the other cannot be accepted
as an honest statement i'm the face of the
rates proposed be enacted while il is 10 be
exacted. The injurious scheme to force
dressed beef from the market has been. and
is. to make secret cuts or rebates To cattle
shippers while protesting 10 maintain the
agreed relative rates. The plan is
TO be made SIMPLER by max
ing separate instead of relative rates,
thus permitting the cattle rates 10 be cut,
while the dressed beef rates can be held
firm. Mr.. Fink points to the rates on
dressed beef as having at one time been : l
per hundred, then 30 cents, so cents. 40
cents, 20 cents. and March 1, to be 65 cents
This sounds extremely well to the general
public, and leaves the commissioner in the
graceful pose of public benefactOr. Mr..
Fink attempts 10 show that the increased
rate makes little difference in the price paid
the Eastern consumer. If the dressed beef
industry is crippled By the actions of the
railways. the price of beef in New York
will advance 10 the eXtOrtiOnate price de-
manded and obtained when the consumer
was at the mercy of the stock yard and ab-
attOir How does it strike the general pub
lie to see a legitimate industry so robbed be
cause bringing of dressed beef into New
York hurts the abattOir and stOck-yard
rings and makes them sell meat at a rea-
able price. instead of extOrtiOnate figures
demanded and obtained before Western
dressed beef came upon the market?
Progress OF the Rate War.
Local officials of the Northern Pacific
road received word from New York officials
yesterday that the cut in rates on through
business would apply to Chicago, that an
agreement was reached between the North
em Pacific and the lines between Chicago
and St. Paul. and the Union Pacific and
the lines between Chicago and Council
Bluffs. whereby they would pro rata with
each other. The reduction from Chicago
and ST. Paul will be 50 per cent. on busi-
ness over SI.40. and % per cent. on all
tariff charges of S1.40 and under. and will
apply alike from either place. This will
give St. Paul merchants an advantage over
Chicago in shipping to Western points
and during the war will have an OppOrtun-
ity to greatly extend their business.
LEARNED AT NEW YORK.
New YORK, Feb. 23.-The rumor that
the ''Sunset Route had issued new tariff
could not be confirmed. At the offices no
new departure had been made, although
some of the lines are not making any heavy
contracts until something definite is known
The Pacific Mail company has received the
thirty DAYS notice that the pool is broken,
but cannot make change in their rates be-
fore March 20. If q change occurs it will
effect the steamer sailing about April l.
Whether a change would be ordered or not,
the officials did not know. The bulk of the
fighting must be between the AtchisOn, To
peka a Santa Fe and the sunset route"