The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-12
HEARING TO BEGIN TODAY.
LOCAL JoBBERs TO TESTIFY ne
FORE COMMISSION.
Chamber of Commerce Adopts Reso-
buttons Protesting Against Action
of Middle West Houses-First
Session VIII Open This Morning.

The Interstate Commerce Commission.
which is 10 hear the Pacific coast tobbers'
story of the fight being made by Middle
West iobbers 70 invade Pacific coast ter
ritory, will arrive here at :. As this morn
ing from Portland. where for the past
two days the body has been hearing the
testimony Of the Portland joobers James
5. Goldsmith, OF Schwabacher Bros. &
Co, len yesterday for Portland where
he will meet the commission and conduct
the members TO Seattle.
The sessions will be held in the United
States courtrooms beginning this morn
ing, and will consist OF hearing testimony
given by local 5obbeTs on the probable To-
cal effect the granting of the demands OF
the 81. Louis Business Mems League.
Jobbers along the entire Pacific coast
have been engaged with the commission
for the past ten days and more interest
is being taken in the matter than In any
thing else affecting the wholesale trade
here for years. The unjust demands OF
the Middle West TO operate through the
commission has resulted in the gathering
together OF a vast amount OF protesting
testimony. which It is thought viii thwart
their designs.
Resolutions protesting against oompli-
ance with the demands OF the johbers OF
the Middle West made in their suit
borught before the Interstate Commerce
Commission to have the differentials ahol-
ished between commodities sent In car
load and less than carload lots. were yes
terday adopted by the Chamber of Com
merce, on motion of George w. Fischer.
These resolutions read as follows.
Whereas, The Interstate Commerce
Commission is now investigating the con-
tention between the Pacific coast tobbers
and manufacturers and those OF the Mid
die Western states, upon complaint of the
latter. and which complaint is based up
on local interests only and Is opposed 10
those of the Pacific coast and Of the
transcontinentai railways, especially as
we have at our doorway a most import
ant factor IN the development of our
trade interests. and a means OF transpor-
tation that cannot be too highly regarded;
It is
Resolved. BY the Seattle Chamber Of
Commerce, That the demands of the
Middle West jobhers are unreasonable
and unjust. and hurtful 10 iong-establish-
ed trade. and this body hereby enters its
protest against compliance Herewith"
Ii was stated by Mr.. Fischer and A. 8.
Burwell that for the jobbers and manu-
facturers OF the Middle Western states TO
succeed in their demand would be TO
permit them TO control the trade of the
Pacific coast "all we ask is that there
be differential sufficient 70 enable US
to compete with them.' was the position
they took.
They say that IL this dinferential il abol-
ished or made less II win not result in
reduction of prices OF goods for the con-
sumers, as the roads. being deprived of
the present profits OF shipping goods In
small lots. would be forced to raise the
general or carload rates TO an extent to
offset the difference, and the only result
would be that II would throw the trade
into the hands of the Fasteners and de-
prive the Western manufacturers and
iobbers OF their trade.