The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-13
CORN RATES RULING
INTERSTATE COMMISSION DECIDES
A CASE THAT HAS ATTRACT
ED MUCH ATTENTION
IOWA AND ILLINOIS INVOLVED
Decidas That Railroads
I Cannot Discriminate In Favor Of
= One State as Against Another
Boards of Trade Can Apply for
Further Hearing .nas to Effect
Upon General Rnte oAdjustment.

WASHINGTON, April l2.-The inter
state commerce commission today. in an
opinion by COMMISSIONER Calhoun, an
nounced its decision in the matter of ex-
port rates from points east and west Of
the Mississippi river. The rates involved
are those ON corn from points in Illinois
as compared with those from places west
of the river. particularly in Iowa
The boards of trade of Chicago and
Peoria, H., were complainants In the
proceedings. During 1898 the traffic rates
on export corn to New York were 171h
cents per 100 from Chicago, and 10 cents
from Peoria, and the Chicago rate of
l73 cents was fixed as proportional rate
from the Mississippi river ON corn COM
Ing from west of the river and car
r1ed through for export. In January and
February of this year the carriers re-
duced this proportional rate from the
Mississippi river four cents, namely to
1872 cents, and only reduced the Chicago
and Peoria rates ~ cents, namely to 16
cents. from Chicago. and 17ls cents from
Peoria.
The lower rate from the river operated
to reduce rates from all points west of
pounds. and it further resulted that nu-
merous rates on export corn from points
in Iowa to Atlantic seaports were made
lower than the rate from many points in
Illinois to the seaboard. 1t also appeared
that under the present rates no Illinois
corn moved for export through Atlantic
exports. and that large quantities of
most of the river corn had been shipped
for export, and carried for the purpose
across the Illinois farms and through
Illinois markets on the way to the sea-
hoard and the foreign destination The
Illinois corn to wrongful prejudice and
disadvantages
1t was claimed that while Illinois corn
is excluded from the export market 1t
still has control of the domestic market.
The commission says it Is neither sound
In principle nor equitable in practice for
railway lines to create artificial differ
ences in market conditions by an arbi-
trary differential in rates, whereby the
produce OF one section OF the country is
assigned to one market, and the produce
of another section to another market
The commission does not find the evil
dence sufficient to enablesit to determine
whether the old ratio of rates should be
restored. or what changes should be
A''ooS III 7IIOIti 1iiIfOlS TO make them
relatively just with all the various total
rates from Iowa and other trans-Missis-
sippi points. The commission does hold
and decide that through or total COM
binatton rates on export corn from any
points In Illinois which are higher than
the through or combination rates on corn
from any point in Iowa are unlawful I'M
Ger section OF the act to regulate COM
merce. and directs that order be sent ac-
cording]y.
The boards Of trade are granted leave
to apply for further hearing in regard to
the effect Of the changes made in the
general rate reimbursement The commits
sion says the principle of the decision ap-
plies to all grain.