Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-02-11
The Freight Rate Bill.

chairman of the house committee on
railroads, was interviewed this week by
the special staff correspondent of the
Observation-Disclosures in regard to the bill
just introduced by him in regard to
freight rate reduction. As Mr.. LaFoll-
cites connection with this bill and his
close study of the railroad rate situation
renders statement from him just now
particularly valuable asd timely. We
quite it at length
There has been for years a demand
that we should have all adjustment Of
freight rates by law in this state. Va
rious laws have been proposed and q few
have been passed, with the consent of
the railroads, but they have not reached
the desired end, and shippers have felt
that the railroads did not concede what
they should and what they could have
during the hard times the claim of the
railroads that they were making no
money was we'll founded but they are
no longer entitled to make such a claim,
as their own reports show they are max
ing plenty OF money. Almost every rail
road report through the couatry shows
handsome and substantial increase in
net earnings, and in this particular our
Western roads make a specially good
showing.
For that matter am inclined to be-
cive that even during the hard times
the freight rates charged by the roads
had good deal to do with the contract
ion of their traffic and consequent loss
OF earnings; for the plain fact is that
farm products OF all kinds deprecated
so much in value that with such rates
farmers could not afford to raise and ship.
"The farming community generally
throughout tie Eastern part of the state
leels that freight rates are too high and
have been for years, 1t is my opinion
that there is among them no special feel
ing of vndictiveness or malice toward
the railroads as corporations. The far
mers feel simply that the railroads have
not granted the concessions which our
state constitution gives us right to de.
mand of them, and which the terms oil
their franchise warrant us in demanding
In fact there is a feeling that the rail
roads have come deal nearer debating
10 the state what it should do than the
state has come to debating to the rail
roads. Moreover the farmers feel that
there is certain equity involved in the
matter and that as a simple matter OF
business as between themselves and the
railroads they are entitled to better rates.
~ know that railway men areinclined
to think that farmers have hardly the
right or capacity to dictate as to the poll
icy to be pursued in fixing railroad sche-
dulles but over in Eastern Washington
we are inclined strongly to the opinion
that If the railroads would give more con-
sideration to the farming interests with
better freight rates, such a policy would
result in the development of farming
lands and farming products so as to vast
ly increase the present volume of traffic.
More people would give their attention
to farming. More farm produce of all
kinds would be raised. Then, too, we
realize that such policy would benefit
the wholesale dealers, enabling them to
handle farm products to better advantage
and in larger quantities, thus building
up market upon a larger scale and up
on more permanent, uniform and sub
stantial basis, while at the same time it
would give the farmers chance to buy
more manufactured products, elevate
the scale OF their homes aud their sur
roundings, and in fact give them a
chance to live Instead OF merely existing.
1.-The republican platform of 1894 de-
manded that the legislature of 1890 pass
bill fixing reasonable maximum rate
both for freight aud passengers. GOV
McGraw in his message to the Legislature
recommended the same thing. In due
time such bill came up in the house
and senate. The senators from kinl
county voted against it to man. Ever
since that time the people east of The
mountains have felt that Gov. McGraw
was not sincere in his message, that hC
wrote it simply for effect, and that the
poonle Of Ki-g aud Pierce counties had
/, use TOR last 'rn wash nGtOn except
for Mhat they coHid -; II Of A. Thod''
and of obs =, lr1, i've AYE iIils Been