The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-01
Special stan Correspondence.

Special stan Correspondence.
OLYMPIA, Feb &-By al odds the de-
hate over the LaFclletts rate bill in the
house this Afternoon was the most inter-
esting since tho beginning Of the session.
Adding spice to the proceedings and pro-
longing the interest. cali OF the house
was had In order TO bring two fuaionists
to their places within the bar, thAre TO
answer to their names ~ they we're CALI
ed. The ahsentees were Judge Mcdonald
Of King. who 10 conspicuous a. the leader
Of the minority In the house. and who
voted against the bill. and Moore Of aka
mania.
At o'clock. under the special order.
the bill was taken up. Bedford moved
limit Of five minutes for speeches % ueaa
gates Of oratcry were opened.
LaEollette Takes the Y1eor.
LaFollette was recognized to begin tho
debate. II do not expect to change many
votes By my argument for this hiil," ho
said. The members OF this house have
doubtless made I'D their minds how they
attorneys have claimed before the jolnt
committee that owing to tho rough and
mountainous nature o6 this stAta. the
rates should be higher here than In the
prairie states. We have conceded thia. In
measure. and the rates In the amendsd
bill are higher for liia d,etances than
thoae OF MInhesotA. Ecf t1ffaf.c6. tu s
nfty-mile haul in Minnesota IN rate II
u.4s. while for hke distance IA this bin
the rate - Ills per ton. This difterenco
follows throughout this hlll for the shorter
distances.
1t has been the intention ana purpose Of
the committee 10 make the rates in THE
bill reasonable degree higher than those
in eject In Minnesota The railroad Attor-
neys. however. have come back az " with
their briefs. which viii be found on the
desks OF the members. In the one BY ~.
drosscap. Observe that = special rate IL
given between Tacoma and Aberdeen on
certain commodities. and from TacomA 10
kalaHA. For instance. the rate to Aber-
deem IN the Northern Pacific regular tarifR
is $2% whereas Mr.. Grosecup cites IN 70
a special rate Of $3.50 per ton. This holds
good ~ to KaIama. In other words. the
special rates are from 70 70 50 per cent.
under the regular tariffs. speak Of this
so that members may know how to regard
this brief statement OF tho railroads regard
ing the alleged reduction on the short haui.
III Il not 10 be supposed that the rail-
roads win raise their rates where they have
water competition. One Of their arKu-
n1eFlts against tie bill h the statement that
rates are raised for tho shorter DISTANCES.
This does not prevent tho roads from
charging q lower rate. There Is no justi-
fieation for this argument Of the railroads
The bin 10 fair and reasonable. and trust
1t will pass
Argumene for the Reads.
Bedford took up tho argument for ~
railroads.
THE bin doubles the rates for the short
er hanis.' he SAID. ",rhey are even higher
than La the present law. A reasonable bill
would have passed this house This not
being a reasonable bill! II will not pass. This
measure gives clique OF wheat growers In
five counties OF Eastern washington q
einch on the balance OF the state. On ths
other hand. the rates In Western Wash
Ington are raised from 10 g per cent Il
VIII cost spokane ~ o0o To have this bin
become law. for Il viii mean that much
additional charges for hauling grain ard
other scad products TO that city Seattle
ard Tacoma are similarly situated Tho
lumber seesson is open TO objection, because
II gives the mills that are nearer the noun
tain. better chance In the market of
Eastern Washington Snan s10ze OF thA
southwest and of the northwest
Redford's argument was eainninx.y word
ed. He took up LaFo'ieste's statement
concerning she G~osscup Circular ana
made fbe statement that the low rases
10 Aberdeen ard other points wxre due 20
fise r-1nction made by the legislature two
years ago
sesnertnayse ehlmea Ia with Bsdsora
and spoke against The bill
~ am uuaiserasiy opposed to H. de-
elared he. .'Msre than that. am or-
posed to coming here every Legislature
and trying sS hold tire whip hand over the
railroads Tfss u isecomsng a hohby-horse
with the pessp.e Of Eastern Washsngton,
and they are rsasgx IL 10 Death. No busi-
ness man would tolerate IA mss affairs tire
assumption that ls made ssre that pres
eat rates ars TOO low H~ fals. b@ even
xesssyo1s witn the railroads. The railroads
s1.is snss sEain: tasy have f1afa u what
II "a. President iiall. of the Gseas NORTH
erfa. In msenalng teswsen ts.go.s0 ard -
s.18 in my Section OF tho country.
aert thsnk this hassse kn0ws anything
afsoat railroad rates. anyway. 10 I v4a
yota against the t.lL''
Pratt D~r~sAs the B1il.
f.rass took the for sn defense al the
nsi. lie risfie1sed The s1ea thar the iii
would cripple th@ railroads '-rssss meas
ur~. II Il h~e.an&s 8 iaw viii cassx~ a iose
ss nzt s'0xnes annually 20 sse soads in
shis state" be sas4. AMI iaSk year sso
Sorssssrn Fxe4ss I'D = egssnes ~ -. ge.-
sa The rate quoted on ffzss szAtsns~nf ~
sa~sa by The Narsaern rs@sac, relative -
he ssa<s haul Azcssss sniy ~. uAnnA
-