Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-08-09

listing rates on wheat from all
points in eastern Washington and
northern Idaho is the result Of the
conference between the wheat
growers of the Big Bend and the
Palouse and the railway presi
dents. The new rate will become
effective August IS.
President Hill made the following state
ment at Colfax regarding the reduction in
freight rates asked for by the farmers OF
the Inland Empire:
81 think the reduction will be about
40 to 90 cents per ton, maximum. This
is about 10 per cent gross"
This will be for all points in the Inland
Empire. 1t will be about | to IL cents
per bushel
Chairman McCreskey said in reference
to this proposed reduction:
eve will represent that the condition
of the country is such that a 10 cent rate
is needed. The people have been asking
for this for years"
Inc
The meeting at Colfax was called to or
| der few minutes after ii o'clock by p.
C.. McCroskey. He said it was conceded
that the best way to reduce freight rates
was to meet the presidents of the rail
ways He expressed the hope that as a
result of the meeting the freight rate
question would be thrown out of politics.
President Hill was the first speaker. In
addressing the meeting he said in part:
MIR. Hill Speaks.
owe ought to be able to reason to-
gether as the interests represented by you
are united with the interests represented
by us. A railroad can not overlook the
interests of the people OF the country
through which it runs. We can't over
look the farmers interests without over
looking the interests of Others.
You earn your money by shipping
products raised on your land. We earn
our money by selling transportation, We
are interested in you. The thing for us TO
do is to so adjust the rates that we can
keep step"
The speaker brought up the shipments
of wheat to Europe, saying:
Fortunately new markets have been
opened up in Asia. Regardless of the
price at Liverpool or other markets your
wheat is bringing you about enough TO
keep you raising it. You have found
way of taking your wheat to the sea and
getting what you can. The wheat eX-
ported to Liverpool is sold under disad-
vantages.
81 don't know what you are going to
! do unless you turn your eyes to the east
for new markets. Maybe you can induce
those exporters to give you some of the
margin of profit between the coast and
Liverpool. For the last two years one
fourth of the crop has gone east. The
railroads have made wheat more valuable
| in Minnesota, and possibly we can help
you here. The railroad people are glad 20
meet you half way. Let the people and
| the railroads be good neighbors and fair
to each other. | would like nothing bet
ter than for the people along the road to
own the railroads themselves. There is 10
reason why they shouldn't Many of our
people put their all into our railway
President Mellen of the Northern Pa
cifc followed President Hill He said in
part:
Il think that the task of the Northern
Pacific reaches this city by probably the
longest and most impossibly devised route.
| hope that with increased prosperity we
can expend money in the improvement of
our property. l believe we can share
with you little OF the present prosper
ity. We came here with this disposition.
Let us get fair agreement between Your
desires and our ability. If we can't meet
your whole wishes now let us meet
again"
President Mohler of the O. R. & N. said
in substance:
at gives me more pleasure to meet
you than to collect the freight on a car
of wheat which is the greatest pleasure I
have had for long time The speaker
told of the work done to improve the road
and called attention to the recent redue-
ton in passenger rates from to 3 cents
per mile. Continuing, he said:
"Mr. Mellen has intimated to you tina;
we are going to do something, not try to
do something. think that we will meet
you more than half way We must have
partnership Now, the navigation COM
pany will meet your committee this after
noon with Presidents Hill and MelIen.
who have your interests at heart A re-
duction of rates here means a reduction of
rates elsewhere"
w. d. Martin, president, and Francis
Jones, secretary, of the Farmers Grain
company of Nez Perez, were in Colfax to
present a petition from the Farmers Grain
club, signed by 600 farmers on the Clear
water, for a reduction of rates.
The addresses of the railroad presidents