The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-12-21
AN UNJUST DISCRIMINATION

The question Of freight rates to
points east for Minnesota products
has been matter which has occupied
the attention of manufacturers and
shippers from this state for a good
many years, and is liable to continue
to for good many more years to
come. In fact it will probably always
be matter of greater or less conten-
tion. One of the principal exports of
the state is flour, and with the great
milling interests which are at pre-
sent located in the state, and which
are being constantly increased to
meet the growing demands upon
them, and also owing to their
proximity to the great wheat growing
regions, flour is likely to remain one
of the important articles of export
from the state.
A few years ago it was Minneapolis
which enjoyed the favorite rate from
the railroads. But the scene has
shifted and now Duluth is the favor
ed point at the expense of the rest of
| the state.
If an explanation were to be asked
why the discrimination between
Duluth and some of the interior
points of the state, or more partic-
ularly of the southern portion of the
state, we would undoubtedly be told
by those gentlemen who make the
rates, that it was because of the water
route which Duluth enjoys. That
this would be apt to make some lit
tie difference is undoubtedly true,
but the wide difference at present eX-
listing, does not seem at all reasonable
nor will it impress the minds of dis
interested persons as so being.
AS already stated the scene in the
favoritism of rates, has shifted from
Minneapolis to Duluth. To show how
Minneapolis feels about the unjust
discrimination which is being pract-
iced, we quote the following form
the Daily Market Record, of that city,
which fully explains the difference
in rates on flour between that city and
Duluth and Chicago. The Record says,
basing it's remarks on the figures of
the roads:
Last summer they posted tariff of
TIC from Minneapolis to Duluth and
rate of 10c from Minneapolis to
Chicago. This makes rate of 173c
Duluth to Chicago. The proportion
which the rate from Minneapolis to
| Chicago bears to the rate from Duluth
to Chicago, according to those figures,
| is 571 per cent. Or in other words,
on haul from Duluth to Chicago
points over the St. Paul Duluth, in
conjunction with the Milwaukee road
at Minneapolis, the Milwaukee road
would get 574 per cent. of that Tic
and the Duluth road would get 425 per
cent. Taking the rate from Duluth
to Chicago points in the new rate and
applying this same ratio, which is
only fair, we get the following result !:
The rate from Duluth to Chicago
now is 123c. So, according
to our ratio, on flour hauled
! by the way OF the ST. PauI q
Duluth and transferred to the Mil
waukee, ST. Louis, Burlington or
Kansas City roads at Minneapolis, for
points taking a common rate with
Chicago, the ST. Paul & Duluth road
gets 423 per cent of the 124c, or very
close to sic and the road delivering it
to Chicago will get the remaining Tic.
This tic, then, means nothing more
nor less than a haul from Minneapolis
to Chicago for Duluth-Superior flour,
while Minneapolis flour is charged
| 124c for the same service.
But bad as this discrimination may
be, southern Minnesota suffers to a
still greater extent. Mankato is 431
miles from Chicago, and Duluth is
about 480 or so miles farther away.
Yet while the rate on flour from
Duluth to Chicago as given above is
123c per hundred, the rate from Man
kato to Chicago is cooper hundred, or
621 per cent more, though the distance
| is some so miles less.
Now if the roads, .are hand