Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-18
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST OMAHA

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST OMAHA
We print elsewhere a protest adj
dressed by the Automatically Pack
ing company TO the railroads transport
ing packing house products to distri-
buting points north and south, in which
the discriminating rates against Omaha
in favor of Kansas City are clearly set
forth. It Is shown that on all such pro-
ducts shipped south the rates favor
Kansas City TO the extent Of from six to
seven and one-half cents per one
hundred pounds, while on north
bound business the rate from Omaha
TO st. Paul common points is
only two cents lower than from
Kansas City, and to Montana and
northwest Pacific coast points the rate
from Kansas City is no greater than
from Omaha. 1t is also noted in the
protest that the rate on packing house
products from ST. Paul to southern
points is only three-fourths Of one per
cent per hundred pounds higher than
the Omaha rate TO the same points, and
in cotton-seed oil the rate from Mem
phis to Kansas City is five cents lower
per hundred pounds than the rate to
Omaha.
1t thus appears that in all directions
the packing interest of Omaha is being
heavily Disseminated against by
the railroads, and the in
justice OF the favor shown to
Kansas City is made obvious by the
figures and statements Of the protest.
1t is clear that if this unjustifiable dis
elimination is maintained the result,
as the packing house company say, must
be disastrous to the packing interest of
Omaha. That interest is compelled to
contend with natural disad advantages in
its competition with other packing
points. The greater cost OF turning out
the product here makes a material diff
ference in favor of Chicago and Kansas
City that can not be overcome, and when
to this is added the great discrimina-
ton in freight rates against Omaha
shown in the protest, it is easy to be-
lieve the claim of the packing company
that the consequence, if the discrimina-
tion Is not removed, must be ruinous.
Another hardship mon the packers Of
Omaha is the fact that they must buy
their hogs and cattle in the highest
market, Kansas City packers competing
with Omaha in the southern section of
Nebraska and Iowa, while the packers
of Sioux City and ST. Paul draw their
supply of hogs and cattle from adjacent
territories, with little or no competition
from other points.
The protest submits that Kansas
City is in no other or different
position than Omaha, and on no ground
entitled to greater benefit at the hands
of the railroads transporting the pack
ing products of both cities. The pack
ing house company asks that the tariffs
be so modified, by either advancing the
Kansas City or lowering the Omaha
rates, or both, that the rates shall be
equalized and that neither of the two
cities named shall be caused to suffer
from I'm just discrimination. The re-
quest is reasonable and necessary, and
should have the prompt consideration
of the roads to which it is addressed.
This matter is one of very vital import
ance to Omaha, and the packing house
whose protest we publish should be sus-
tanned by the entire business commu-
nifty in its effort to remove an unwar-
ranted discrimination against this city,
which, if maintained, can hardly fail
to prove fatal to the packing industry.