The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-22
WILL FIGHT
NEW RATE
They do Not Want DiferentiaI
Restored to Texas
TO ASK FOR INJUNCTION
Kansas MiIIerS Will go Before
u. S. Circuit Court
TO ASK FOR INJUNCTION

Yesterday the millers Of this city re-
ceived the new tariff sheets of the Santa
Fe railroad announcing that fve-cent
differentiaI would be established on grain
and grain products between Kansas
points and points in Texas and New
Mexico. Immediately on the receipt Of
the tariffs the miIlers of the city realized
what the new rate would mean when it
goes into effect May 18th Messages by
telegraph and telephone went flying over
the country and millers' meeting viii be
called for Saturday or Monday and at
that time steps will be taken 10 begin the
tight in the United States circuit court
TO prevent the rate from going into ef-
feet.
1t was stated yesterday that an injunc-
tion would be asked for against the
Santa Fe and other roads doing business
IN Kansas, Texas and New Mexico, to
prevent them from charging the differen-
tial on grain and -four shipments next
Tuesday.
The railroads which are now putting
In this rate acknowledged before the
interstate commerce commission IN this
city last October that the differential on
wheat and -four was unjust. All of the
railroads Acknowledged this fact and
Mr.. Low, attorney for the Rock Island,
stated to the commission that the rail-
roads would be pleased if the commission
would order them to make the rate on
wheat and -four the same and reverse the
order Of the commission made some ten
years ago TO the effect that the roads
were compelled to charge cents per
hundred more for -four than for wheat
when destined to Texas points.
Immediately after the hearing the rail-
roads issued tariff sheets making the
differential 2l2 cents per hundred and in
some cases taking it off altogether, show
ing that they meant what was stated
before the commission.
This rate is in effect at present and the
case is still undecided by the commits
sion The railroads refused to take any
part in the hearing here last fall. saying
that they were uninterested parties fur
ther than that they put in the rate
according to the orders of the commits
sion.
The fight last fall was between Kansas
and Texas millers and the Galveston
Chamber of Commerce sent several men
here TO testify before the commission.
The railroads acknowledged that the diff
ferential was a discrimination, but left it
TO the Kansas and Texas millers to prove
their cases before the commission.
The Interstate commission some ten
years ago decided that the differential on
wheat and -four was just and made a
ruling 10 that effect. This was done in
order TO build up the milling industry on
Texas. The mills of that state have grown
in number and size and have waXed great
and powerful. It was shown before the
commission that a Texas mill could come
into the Kansas wheat belt and buy
wheat, ship il to his mill in Texas and
have cents the advantage over the mil
Ter where the wheat was raised The
Texas miiers, it was said. created a dis
turbance in the markets of Kansas by
making higher bids than the markets
of the world would justify. In this way
Kansas n1illers were shut out from COM
petition with the Texas mills
This rate question is now before the
commission and a decision is expected at
any time. In the meantime the railroads
have restored the differentia which they
acknowledged was unjust six months ago
and have extended it into new territory.
New Mexico was not included in the old
rule.
Under the new rates ii would be q
good business proposition for millers to
build mills in New Mexico. where they
have plenty of water power, with not a
grain of wheat grown within one hundred
miles Of the mill This miller could buy
wheat in Wichita, ship it to his mill,
large territory which the Wichita miller.
with millions of bushels Of wheat At his
door. could not hope TO compete with
This the millers of southern Kansas
believe is unjust, and they propose TO