Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-04-28
An Important Interstate Commerce
Decision.
nlmerce


The following, taken from the pub
lished decision of the inter state com.
merce commission, says the Fargo Re-
publican, showsits scope and indicates
it's effect:
"The conclusion is that the control.
ing cause OF the necessary low rates
on refined sugar over the lines of de-
fendante from San Francisco to St.
Paul is the competition from the East
of sugar refined IN New York; that
these rates to st, Paul would be for
ced on the defendants by the competi-
ton even if the Canadian Pacific road
and the waterway around Cape Horn
did not exist; that while the rates to
st. Paul are 80 rendered necessary,
that is no justification under the law
as construed by this commission Of
the higher rates to Fargo, the shorter
distance point, and that, in order to
make the rates to St. Paul and Fargo,
respectively, conform to the slong and
short rule OF the statute, and prevent
unjust discrimination against Fargo,
they should be, at least, as low to
Fargo as to st. Paul.
"The order will be that defendants,
the Northern Pacific railroad COM
pany and the Union Pacific railroad
company, forthwith cease and desist
from charging or collecting higher
rate on sugar from San Francisco to
Fargo than to st. Paul. happening,
as before specifically set forth, that
the Oregon Railway & Naviga ton COM
pany, the Southern Pacific company,
and the St. Paul, Minneapolis e. Mani
toba railway company, did not par.
ticipate in the greater rate on sugar to
Fargo than to st. Paul, as alleged in
the complaint, they are not included
in the order now issued in this case.
Neither the Great Northern railroad
(Which In February 1890, since tne
filing of the complaint, became lessee
OF the property OF the st. Paul, Min.
neapolis & Manitoba railway COM
panyl, nor the Canadian Pacific have
been made party defendant, although
they appear 20 have become parties
to the rates complained of.
Gas the rates now in force to St.
Paul appear from the evidence to be
as low as they can be legitimately
made, and any increase would result
in q loss OF the business to that point,
the only practical method OF compii-
ance With our order, unless the situa-
ton has changed since the nearing,
would seem to be a reduction OF the
rates to Fargo 80 as to make them
not more than the prevailing rates to
st. Paul"
The decision further hold that the
position OF Fargo on both the lines OF
the Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern 1.-THE American connection OF
the Canadian Pacific} disposes OF the
question OF the effect OF possible com.
petition of the Canadian Pacific on
shipments to Fargo and st. Paul, and
that there Is, and can be, no possible
competition by water around Cape
Horn that can effect the question
under existing conditions.
The decision If enforced must make
Fargo the distributing pointio sugars
for the countries west, north, north
west and southwest, and to certain
extent east, and with it q distribution
OF all kinds of groceries.
Ii Fargo avails herself OF this deci.
sion there is no reason why she should
not become u wholesalips center.
From q business standpoint the deic.
sion is q victory for Fargo which will, if
followed up, resultin incalculable bene-
fit. The city is far more benefited than
is Mr.. Raworth, and should not be slow
to take advantage OF her position I'm.
der this decision.