The times., 1899-10-07
THE INDUSTRIAL ENQUIRY
Senator Kyle Returns to Preside
Over the Commission.
a. j. Sanlandinghan, OF st. Louis,
Dortafion Problem - Discriminn-
tions In the Matter of Rates-Ad-
vantage TO the English Miller.

The Industrial Commission met at 11:1J
o'clock this morning, being called TO or
der by Senator James H. Kyle, of South
Dakota, who returned to Washington yes
terday, after a protracted absence in the
Northwest. Senator Kyle, who is a mem
Der of the subcommission on agriculture
and agricultural labor, has been engaged
with this subcommission at Chicago and
other places.
The Commission this morning resumed
its enquiry into the question of transpor
tation. The first witness was A. ]. Van
landingham, of st. Louis. The examina
ton of the witness was conducted by
Senator Mallory, chairman of the subcom-
mission on transportation. Mr.. Vanlan-
bingham said that he is manager of the
st. Louis Traffic Bureau, an organization
OF shippers and jobbers. 1t was formed
to prevent unfair discrimination by rail
roads against st. Louis shippers, and in
favor of the shippers in other cities. Dur
ing 1899 as rule published tariffs were
maintained and few secret concessions
were made.
The witness said that the means OF dis
elimination employed were in the form of
commissions to shippers and direct re-
bates He explained how st. Louis had
been Disseminated against in favor of Chi
cago in the shipping rates on corn and
wheat for export Vast amounts OF grain
had been shipped on export rates that hal
never been intended for export, but had
been consumed in American territory east
of Chicago. The witness said that the ex
port rates at present are less than domeS
tic rates. From Chicago eastward the in
land grain rate is about 20 cents bushel
and for export it is about 13 cents. The
witness thought that this discrepancy in
shipping rates was not warranted by the
selling prices of wheat, corn, and oats. He
told the story to which the Commission
has frequently listened of the discrimina-
tion in railroad rates against flour and
millers and in favor of wheat and grain
shippers. One result CT this has been that
the export of grain has remarkably in
creased, while that of -four has been very
slight. These discriminating charges give
the English miller great advantage over
the American miller in the matter of the
reduction of American wheat.
The reason for the discrimination against
-four, as done by the railroads, said the
witness, is that it is more expensive to
handle. Mr.. Vanlandingham said that flour
could be loaded in railroad cars as heavily
as grain. that is, to the marked capacity
VI lut cars lnSTe was a
against -four in ocean rates, but the millers
expected this, as -four could not be loaded
on shipboard as readily as grain. He said
that the biggest miller in st. Louis had
told him that he was out of the export
trade and that under the present conditions
he expected to remain out of it.
The witness said that ST. Louis was dis
criminated against by the elevator system
which enabled the Chicago elevator men
to gather in grain that would naturally
seek other distribution points. Some of the
terminal elevators were owned by railroad
companies and leased to the elevator men