New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-17
sHIJRT BY DISCRIMINATION
Nv DAVIS DECLARES THAT THE MILLING
7p,s1NEss HAS BEEN INJURED THROUGH
ou pATFS ON GRAIN FOR EXPORT


The Interstate Commerce Commission. which on
,,aav began an investigation into the differences
n,ch now exist between export and domestic
ties on grain and grain products from the West
80 this port. continued the hearing yesterday in
poorn No ~ OF the Federal Building.
W II Joyce freight traffic manager OF the Penn
sv,vania Railroad Company. the first witness
:, ,ha morning session. Mr.. Joyce questioned
=. Mr. Day The witness said that for the last six
~ seven weeks there had been difference In the
ro,es for grain for export and grain products also
Cor EXPORT. The rate for the material was
lower than that for -four. etc. Competition be-
,veen the carriers from the West to the seaboard
and competition abroad. he believed. had caused
this change In rates His company ne said, had
heen opposed to issuing through bills Of lading
Mr. Joyce corroborated the testimony of the wit
nosses examined on Monday by stating that
comparison could he made between the rates
charged for grain shipped from the West for do
mestic use and that shipped for export TO Europe.
Grain shipped for export shipped in great bulk
and was more economically handled by the carriers
than that shipped for domestic use.
C. S Wight general traffic manager of the Balti-
more and Ohio. testified that grain and grain
rroducts had been carried at the rate for do
nestle use for many years. Until the last year
there had been difference in the published rate
for export grain and grain products, but secretly
there had been difference, the rate in export
grain being lower than that on export grain prod
ucts. Competition was the cause.
NJ II. Davis. president of the National Associa-
ton and Winter Wheat Millers League. gave testi-
mony from the point of view of the American mil
Ier's interests The League. he said. represented
merchant mers engaged in the manufacture of
-four for domestic and export trade. II has q men,
bershp OF about two hundred milling concerns rep
resenng investment OF not less than $50 900 900
with an aggregate capacity of about 1900 barrels
day. Altogether there is invested in the mills of
this country about S50o.0O.0oo
Mr.. Davis stated with great deal OF earnest
ness that the discrimination made by the railroads
in the rates for export grain and export flour was
great blow to the milling interests OF ihe Hn1 o
icy as against public policy Inc export OF rIH1
could be largely increased II the nour MAS oar,ea
lower rate than the rate for the raw material III
this should he done IT. would result t ao nne nv the
mlers of this country for export Such course
portunity TO grow at least million bushels of
wheat in excess of what we now grow, as Inere
would be a greater demand for our Hour abroad;
Under the present system the advantage given 10
the raw material in the matter OF rates enables
with the dirty wheat of India. with the defective
wheat of the Argentine Republic and win me S
ly harvested wheat Of Russia great dea 0d t n
foreign wheat could not be used II tney ulo hot
have our hgh-class wheat TO mix with II. mus s
II would be that the demand for our growth OF
wheat would increase. a., 10,
Davis said that was not clear TO MS or
than il did TO carry wheat ,,,...,o,
Mr.. Davis said that III the present uisCL
was continued between wheat and -four for export
ruined ON the other hand he admitted that II the
rates favorable to the export or four the pusi
ness of the grain exporters here woulo pe nu ~
A good average crop of wheat in this country Tor
a wear would be 55000OO00 bushels, OF which SSOVu-
OD6 bushels would be consumed here IN the form or
flour CO. 100000 bushels exported as flour. leaving
about $40 10000 bushels as a surplus, OF whch
100000 would go for seeding purposes ana lco'o"
900 bushels be exported as grain. .
Charles L. Cutter. a member or the executive
Committee Of the Winter Wheat Millers League,
and also representative OF the Toledo Produce
Exchange gave testimony corroborative of the tes-
timony given by Mr.. Davis. -
After recess the first witness called was /. 5;
Davant general freight agent of the Norfolk and
Western Railroad HIS road, he said. handled grain
and -four through Norfolk for export principally
This witness said, that he agreed with the testi
rnony given by Mr. Wight, the freight traffic man.
ager OF the Baltimore and Ohio, at the morning
session
Several other witnesses were called after recess.
and then the committee adjourned TO meet In Chi
cago on June -.