The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-18
CHICAGO VS.. WESTERN PACKERS

|
packers in favor of Chicago. 1t is the
most highhanded piece of transportation
robbery ever yet undertaken by that un
holy trust and corporate combine known
as the Western Traffic association. Al
natural advantages pertaining to Mis-
souri, river and western packing points,
in the matter of their location, are by
this order wiped out, and if it is to stand
the Wichita, Kansas City, Omaha
and Sioux City packers will
be compelled to move to Chicago,
go out business or otherwise submit to a
discrimination, which tells against the
producer and cripples our western pack
ing markets. The Kansas City papers seem
slow about taking the matter up, but
by the argument set out in the Western
Traffic association circular it is made
from Chicago standpoint, and is full
of prejudice in the interest of Chicago
packers as against packers on the Mis-
souri, and Mississippi rivers, and other
western packing centers. If Chicago is
entitled to the same Pacific coast rates
then we are entitled to the sane At
lantic coast rates as the Chicago pack
erS. The rate on hog product from Chi
cago to San Francisco is S1.75, and from
Wichita and other points that are from
! 500 to 700 miles nearer San Francisco
than Chicago, is to be the same. The
rate on hog product from Chicago to
| the Atlantic is % cents. but from the
Missouri river it is Al cents, and from
Wichita differential additional.
AS the EAGLE clearly showed this is
manifest injustice, and not to be borne.
A fight must be made, and, If necessary.
made in the courts, in the legislatures of
the states named, and all along the line
One trouble is, the men who dominate
the packing interests at Kansas City and
Omaha, hold still greater interests in the
same business at Chicago,
In some, to US, inexplicable way, the
live stock. packing and grain interests of
Chicago have for several years domi-
mated the trunk line railways reaching
| that point. This has been abundantly
shown in every congressional and other
| investigation. Not satisfied with her
own advantage, every interior place
must be robbed or put under tribute.
But Chicago cannot hog the whole trade
| and industry of the west by perpetratiEg
the gross transportation determinations
which have so long been in effect. The
west is outgrowing this condition, and
does not propose to endure it much
longer.
Packing will be done on the Missouri
river. not only, but at Wichita. The
hogs and sheep and cattle will be killed
adjacent to the great corn fields which
produce them; saving to the producer
not only the shrinkage and chances of
long haul, but giving the consumer more
V hoiesome meats. And railway conspira-
cieS and transportation tools cannot
much longer force, by unequal and I'M
righteous rates, Kansas grown grain to
Texas and to Minneapolis mills. No
power, corporate or otherwise, can much
longer devise and enforce schemes in
the interest Of long hauls and centralized
influences to the destruction of the pro-
Queer and his home market. No dis
elimination and no combination which
monopoly can cook up must
he permitted to prevent the
growth of othese interir centers
and home markets, where the live stock
can be slaughtered and the grain ground
contiguous to the fields and farms which
produce them.
Following up what the EAGLE had to
say touching this systematic effort to
concentrate every commercial interest
in the west at Chicago at the expense of
all inland cities, the Sioux City Journal
says:
The gross injustice of this situation is
too palpable to require specification, 1t is
an outrage on the face of it, Ii the distance
OF 800 miles Is not counted in favor of
Sioux City on shipments to San Francisco,
then it ought not to be counted against
Sioux City and Missouri river and in
fn.Kr, ,,-1,. ,...,
IT Sioux City ana Chicago are to have the
same rate to San Francisco, then common
Justice requires that they should have the
same rate to New York. There is abso-
lutely no escape from this conclusion.
Not only is this fact obvious by itself,
but it is conceded by the railroad COM
panies. In other kinds OF west-bound
freight than hog product, distance is
basis for rates to the Pacific coast as be-
tween Missouri river points and Chicago
although the difference of rate is not as |
great rs it should be- Hog product is
singled out as an exception for the most
grieyous discrimination against the Mis- |
souri, river packing points and in favor Of
Chicago.
Chairman Walker in his denial of the
application for an advance of the rate TO
the Pacific coast OF cents per 100 pounds !
from Mississippi river points. and of 10
cents per 100 pounds from Chicago, in IA
strained special plea III behalf of Chicago |
scrupulousiy avoids the central fact OF the
injustice which he upholds, He says that
the basis of east-bound rates on hog pro- |
duct is different from that of west bound /
rates. We'll, that Is precisely what Mis-
sonri river packers found their claim upon |
That is precisely what the latter complain
Of That is precisely what they want TO
have remedied
Norris it any more TO the point for Chair
man Walker 10 plead in behalf OF Chicago