The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-19
What the y. r. Shoeid Not Do.

Sc far ga have been able 80 dna, there
= ~ opposition among tbs legislative
members from the wheat belts of Eastern
Washington TO the Hamilton Ill. which
II merely recognized measure tntend-
81 by the Northern Paddle "a work ont its
own salvation. Thera iN j feeling. though
taAf IL tie Northern Pacific wishes this
legislation 1t should not attempt to hold
back the rats I'll ard crowd It's own bill
cat first
There Is 10 doubt bat the railroads con-
troll the senate committee on railroads
and transportation. aad that a majority
can easily be secured 20 vote against any
thing tina; is obnoxious 20 the railroads.
But just how this majority is divided be-
tween stevenson and Grosscup~~or. in
other words. the o. H. g. ". and the
Northern Pacife--refaa.ras TO be seen. The
condition % the house committee on rail-
roads is a more open question The com
ruittes consists of fifteen members II is
my opiaiesn that Of the whole Bedford,
Dickson Maxwell. Bishop. Parker and
Mclean viii stand for anything the rail-
roads may wish. The railroads may Sc
cure two more members and control the
committee. Time alone can tell that.
Pronts In Local nusfness-
Those members who dodge behind the
Saissrk Of the railroads by the cry that
a reduction Ia rates on farm products is
noi necessary because the present rate is
as .ow, or lower, than other freight
should read the report Of President Nc
Nell and Chairman Of the Board Alfred s.
Heidslbaeh. OF the O. X. Il ~. as printed
In the annual report OF those officials 30
the stockholders of the U. II. Il n. Com
pany for the fiscal year ended June 90
1887. This report gays;
The local business OF the company
amounting. as IL does TO Is PER cent az it's
total eDainesSs has demanded particular at
te1st3en. and IL has beer the effort OF your
management TO operate the property IN the
interest az the territory Immediately trlbu~
tary 20 It's line and Of Portland. ats prac-
teal terminus, so ss 10 obtain the eoas3
w1I Of !ts patrons and develop and increase
It's lo1al business. Your management has
felt tina, It's local business mas. determine
its future prosperity. rot only because
such local 93le,nes4 constitutes about
g. per ccut. or Ks totai business but
because sneh business averages
1904 mills per ton per mile,
while 10 receives buf 1..oA mills
per ton per mile on its through
business"
Thai Is a plain statement I; shows that
tie company - charging for is Iocal bust
ness largely In excess OF tha rates for It's
through business ana for this reason il
Ia necessary to obtain the good VIII OF
it@ patrons"
Another statement shows that In ISs the
O. H. s. y. 90. carried i.Gl6.30o tons Of
genera. freight OF shSa 81 s5i iuns were
ths products az thu farm. such as grain
-four. fruit. vegetables. IKE stock. the prod
uct of animals and SO forth all other COM
snoiiaes were therefore 6a9 sc. or less than
half az the total.
And Yet the ~. r & n attorney argued
that tan tonnage os agricultural products
was caly Email part Of tina whole In the
consideration OF frs.Eht rates
Tse facts here presented show conciu-
s,vely tRo things with regard 20 the O. r.
Il y. t3rsi~~Ths rates oD agricultural
products are FAR above the average On
taroesga r&seA seeoua~Tne tonnage q
agrfcul .nra! products is mere than hat Il
the entire tonnage % tbs raa&-
Woysla i aa unfair To other shippers 10
red5seo the freight rata on Agricultural
pseauctat J, HOWARD WATSON.