The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-11
ARE MAKING A FIGHT
FOR FAIR TREATMENT.
PACIFIC COAST JORBERs DEFEND
THEIR TERRITORY.
Chicago ana st. Louis Firms shown
TO He Actuated by Greed In Eff
forts Before Interstate Commerce

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
WASHINGTON, Dec. l0.-S Several large
iobbers and corporation representatives
from the Pacific coast were among those
who appeared before the interstate com
merce commission The occasion was n
further hearing of the case OF the Bush
ness Mems League, OF st. Louis. VS.. the
Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe railroad
and numerous other trunk lines
The st. Louis association appears as
complainant, representing that the rail
rates between the middle West and the
Pacific coast show unfair discrimination
In favor of New York and other Eastern
shippers.
Among those present were Henry IT.
Scott. president of the Union Iron Works,
of San Francisco; Wakefield Baker. presi-
dent of the Pacific Coast Manufacturers
and Jobbers' Association, and +. G. Pills
bury. counsel for that company.
]. ]. Waite. traffic manager for Chi
cago hardware johbiug firm. was on the
stand nearly all day, and was subjected
to n series OF searching questions by Mr..
Pillsbury. The latter succeeded in break
ing down to a large extent Mr.. Watte's
direct testimony, his object being to show
that the jobbers of the middle West have
little to complain of in the matter OF
rates. He forced the witness to admit
this hts FIRMS business had increased In
fift Sihtc oi NdSHtHkthil unIiHE tiit last
year, although he retorted that the bust
ness In that state was far from being in
satisfactory condition.
Due to G.eed.
Mr.. Plllsoury extorted. little by littIe
virtual admission that the Chicago and
st. Louis firms need no change in rates
to further their efforts to invade the
territory of the Pacific coast jobbers AL
though their greed leads them to make
the effort.
Fl. e. ID. Jackson, representing the
American and Hawaiian Steamship Com
pany, gave the ciearest ana most impress
slve testimony of the day. IT was en-
tirelv opposed to the St Louis and chi
cago interests. and was calculated TO
show the low through rate from New
York 10 the Western seaboard is deter
mined largely by water transportation
from New York to San Francisco and
Puget sound. Mr.. jackson said that his
company was preparing TO increase its
business on the Coast as far as Seattle.
Assistant Secretary Langley. OF the
Merchants Association. of New York,
said today:
New York and the Pacific coast are
together in this matter. The jobbers OF
the middle West have many advantages
which come to them by reason OF their
location, but Il seems that they are not
content with them. They have brought
the question OF carload and less than car
load rates into this matter, and IL they
succeeded in getting what they are ask
ing they would drive out of business al
most every business house on the Coast.
Therefore IL is perfectly natural that the
Coast Is making very hard fight In the
matter, and New York is, and has been
since the fight commenced, ready 90 help
the Coast merchants IN their fight In
every way possible. | do not know just
how much testimony is stili to be heard,
but l think that this weeks hearing will
be the last"