The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-30
jim HILL
DESIRES
Farmers to Ask for
Another Conference
TO CONSIDER FREIGHT RATES
Charley Chamberlain Has Arranged
for Such a Meeting in Whitman
County in October.
TO CONSIDER FREIGHT RATES

Garfield Hill, of the
Great Northern, is to meet the farm
ers of Eastern Washington this fall
to discuss freight rates, and it is un
derstood that President Mellin, of the
Northern Pacific, and Mohler, of the
Oregon Railroad & Navigation com
pany. will also be present, and that
the meeting will be along the same
lines as that held in Colfax in July,
1902, when voluntary reduction of
10 per cent was made in the rates
then existing on all farm products.
This meant 2 cents per buShel on
wheat, and saved to the farmers of
Whitman county 100000 To many
farmers it meant from 5000 to 500
on a single crop of wheat. R. c. Nc
Croskey, who is one of the movers in
to have another meeting held, says
it saved him more than 5000 last
year.
before the Elberton picnic was
held in the latter part Of June, Presi-
delt Hill, of the Great Northern
thu Ough a representative Of this state
who was largely instrumental in sc
| curing the meeting last y ear eX
pressed a desire to be given an OppO1
tunity to speak at the picnic, but as
he could not be there in June, sue
| gested that the picnic be held in the
latter part of July. This the Elbel
ton people declined to do, as the pic
mic has always been held in June, ant
| it was thought the attendance would
not be so large if held one month
| later, when harvest would be on
| President Hills representative ther
| asked to have a meeting arranged TO-
the early part of August, and it wa:
so decided to call a preliminary meet
ing here last Saturday to arrange
date for the meeting.
Call Is Issued
r. C. McCroskey, who presided a
last years meeting, and j. &. Law
renee, who issued the call for it. wer'
in communication with Mr.. Hills rep
resentative. and on Saturday issue'
q call for the meeting here. But be
fore these were mailed Telegram
was received from Mr.. Hills repre-
sentative. asking that no action b.
taken until the arrival OF letter
which reached here today. In this n
stated that, owing to important bust
ness in the East, Mr.. Hill cannot com
to Washington until later, and aske,
that a meeting between producer
and railroad presidents be arranged
at a convenient place early IN Octo
Der. AS railroad presidents was use'
in the plural 1t is taken that Presl
dents Mohler and Mellin will also b.
here. The circular calling the preim
mary meeting for Garfield for las
| Saturday is self explanatory, and i
here given: ~
GARFIELD, Wash, July %, 1903
Dear Sir: Last year the meetini
between the railway presidents an
the farmers resulted in a reduction
in rates on farm products. liner
l was a tacit understanding at ina
time that similar meetings would D.
: held in the future. In accordanc
with the suggestion was made 10 MI
James J. Hill to appear before IN
farmers at the Elberton picnic. y"
! ing to his absence on an ocean Vo'
age, he was unable to be with us the1
but on his return he has slgnlfled nj
! willingness to meet the farmers o
the PalOuse country at an early udIe
You have been selected as a rep
resentative of your community 10 u
present at preliminary meeting Z
be held in Garfield Saturday, July "a
at | D. m, to make arrangements 10
such meeting Be sure to attend.
Will Meet at Pullman.
The fact that President Hill deslr
ed to speak at the Elberton picnic
which was addressed by GoVerno
, Mcbride on the railroad commlsslol
plan. is considered significant, and l
, is thought that he wished TO sho" tn
farmers the advantage of dealing al
rect with the railroad managers II
, stead of seeking relief through legls
lation. 1t was at first intended u
hold the meeting in one of the larg
warehouses of Garfield, had 1t beel
held in August. but in October tnl
will be filled with wheat, and canno
be had for that purpose.
Pullman. being on both lines OF rail-
road and having fine hotel accomm
dations and a good opera house, ia
been selected as the place tor holulh'
the meeting. and the date Will be an
no11nced when it will be convenlen
. for him and his associates 10 atlelu
II is thought there Will be Iecol
breaking attendance OF represe4Cd
tive farmers at the meeting: hdo
years meeting was ATTENDED ny
: vast crowd of farmers, despite Tn
fact that it was held at one OF IN
busiest seasons of the year.
"He was regarded as a brilliant youp