Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-31
RTE DISCRIMINATION
Its Effect on the Commercial Su.
premacy Of America Is
Considered.
Unjust Practices Of the Railway
Companies Injurious to Elk.
port Trade.
Views Of General Maneer Day
and Senator Washburn
Are Given.

now devoted TO the extension OF IOrelSl
markets for the surplus production o
the industries of the United States
All the nations of the world are nov
engaged in a struggle for commercial
supremacy, and the contest is beinl
carried into every corner of the globe
The United States is undoubtedly in al
advantageous position in this grea
struggle, and with the elimination o
conditions which undoubtedly consti
tute handicap, the certainty of ulti
mate American supremacy is assured
The conditions presented today in TIL,
line of transportation. as adversely af
fecting American exports, is one tina
is attracting and merits the attention
of the people generally, the shippers
the carriers, and the national law
| makers.
| Rate-cutting and Determinations ir
favor of one shipper against another
and the practice OF certain railroads
| in favoring one section to the disad-
| vantage OF another, is question that
has been generally discussed for years
but never has it been so prominently
| brought to the attention of the coun-
| try as during the past few weeks. The
recent report of the Interstate COM
merce commission has attracted wide
spread attention on account of its Wig
orous arraignment of the railroads. and
the recent hearings of the commission
nd l,rrp
railroad officials have opened the eyes
Of the public.
The damaging effect upon the export
trade of the United States of the un-
just practices of the carriers was
strikingly shown by an investigation of
the interstate commerce commission in
1899 relative to rates upon wheat and
-four for export from western points to
the Atlantic seaboard. In summing up
its conclusion the commission said
that public policy and good railway
policy alike required the same rate up
on export wheat and -four" The COM
mission said further that 1t had no
power to enforce such ruling. which
has since been demonstrated. Testi-
mony has been adduced from traffic
managers that no attempt has been
made by the carriers to enforce pub
lished rates, and the Determinations
against the American flour manufact-
urer has grown worse and worse. The
quantity Of wheat exported during
June, July and August. and September
of 1900 thru Atlantic and gulf ports
was 2S.51s,S63 bushels. and the guam
tity Of -four 5.299,T4S barrels, while in
af ~.
number of bushels of wheat exported to
Europe was 69,269,042, and the number
of barrels of -four exported TO all points
was 5,629.043. large part of which
went to entirely new markets. the
European trade in many localities hav-
ing been destroyed by the competition
of mills of Europe thru their ability to
grind American wheat brought to them
by low rates. The testimony of grain
raisers, which Is borne out by sound
reasons that must be obvious TO all,
point TO the advantage of creating a
condition whereby the American miller
shall be the principal buyer of our most
important agricultural product--wheat.
Such condition can never be brought
about so long as 1T is possible for the
transportation companies Of the United
States to aid the foreign competitor of
the American miller by enabling him to
buy American wheat in our fields and
place the finished product in the for
eign markets at price lower than the
American miller is able to quote.
Recent public expressions by two
prominent men. one a large shipper and
the other a well-known railway official
of the northwest. are of interest They
are former Senator Washburn, of Min
neapolis, who is identified with the
milling company bearing his name, and
L. F.. Day, vice president of the Mime
apolis & st. Louis and Iowa Central
railroads. Both assert that the condi-
ton of affairs In the avenues of trans
portation require the application of
remedial legislation. Senator Wash
burn said: 1.-The recent report of the
Interstate commerce commission shows
that the commission is determined to
do the best 1t can. The condition that
confronts that body is a grave one.
When these great railroad corporations
can combine with great Industrial in
terests the result must inevitably be
the elimination of the smaller business
concerns of the country. This thing of
cutting rates in the interest of large
shippers is menace to all business. 1t
strikes at the very foundation of enter
prise. To my mind 1t is important that
both the government and state law
makers should take hold of this matter,
or in time an Industrial slavery, intol-
cradle in a free country, must prevail"
Vice President Day said, in discussing
the mtater: THE people should demand
fair legislation, even If certain rail-
roads, dismayed by the disorder In
which perpetual rate Generalization
has plunged them, should turn to con-
gress for relief" These statements,
coming from such prominent sources
are significant
The failure of congress to act on the
proposed amendments to the interstate
commerce law would be a serious blum
der involving dire political consequent
ces. 1t is not likely that the people of
the United States can be induced to
demonstrate to the world that demo-
cratic government is incapable of prof
iting in the dear school of experience.
In view of the future magnitude of
the transportation interests, the i'm
portance of placing it's control upon
sound principles should not be under
estimated.
The national board Of trade at It's re-
cent meeting in Washington adopted
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