The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-30
RATES ARE HARD
ON "WESTBOUND'
HARDSHIP is ACCUMULATED BY
THE LAKE STRIKE.
The Situation Emphasizes the Need of
Having Stationed Here Freight Men
Who Have Power to Make Rates for
the Eastern Lines.

The present freight rate situation
emphasizes the crying need in Mime
apolis for representatives of eastern
freight lines that have power to do
something. The western representa-
tives in the city are recognized as good
fellows, but they lack one thing, and
that is not their fault-the executive
power to act on freight rates without
consulting superiors.
No one will deny that the outgoing
and ingoing tonnage of Minneapolis
is enormous and that the revenue to
the freight lines accruing therefrom
is large. On the strength Of this re-
lation which the city. bears to the traf-
fic world, western railroads have
established here assistant general
freight agents, or general agents who
are intrusted with the power to act
at once and independently for the best
interests Of the shippers and of the
company. Shippers appreciate heart
lily this ease of access to executive
officers and the recognition Of the
traffic Importance Of Minneapolis.
The presence Of these men gives
shippers confidence that the right
thing will be done in the way Of rates,
but they do not have the same sense
of security in matters connected with
the eastern trunk lines. 1t is a fact
that the eastern lines dictate the rates.
shown that when, especially in flour
rates, the local lines protect the ship
pers they have to stand the difference
in case the trunk lines fail to bear
their share of reductions.
Just now the situation is unique.
East-bound business is poor, partly as
flour mills. Tomorrow the east
bound rates on grain and grain prod
ucts are put on a lake and rail pro-
tective basis because Of the cancella-
ton Of the lake and rail rates and the
lake strike. This move is largely due
to the efficiency Of local executive
freight Representatives of western
lines, who either do something or see
that something is done in a hurry.
On the other hand, altho west
bound business is fine, the rates re-
main high and the eastern lines have
failed to put in protective rates. TO
the close observer this appears to be
something Of a holdup. The eastern
line traffic has dropped off, lines are
| getting economical and dropping thou
sands of men because traffic is falling
| off. Therefore the high west-bound
rate is clear velvet. Shippers in the
| west appealing to the nearest execu-
tive officers now ignore western rep
resentatives of these lines and the rep
resentatives themselves, knowing their
official inefficiency, fail to visit the
shippers. They realize their inabil-
ity. Attempts to negotiate with the
nearest executive officers in Chicago
| fail because the officers are west
fishing or on agency inspection
trips" The result is that no rates
have been secured. The situation is
| bad and the hardship CO the con.
| signees of west-bound freight is there.
| fore terrific, following the tle-up OF
| navigation.
Large shippers will probably make
move to have officials of the eaSter1
lines put here who can act withou
reference to headquarters, or to have
the present acceptable agents en-
dowed with more rate-naaking power
The ''protective" all-rail thru rate
on grain and grain products from
Minneapolis to New York, effective
May 81, are: New York, domestic, q
cents; export, 2Ok cents; Philadelphia
export, 1914, and Baltimore, export
10 cents.
The present all-railrate to New Yorl
is 27 cents domestic and Is export
The Cancelled lake and rail rates were
New York, domestic, % cents; export
211a; Philadelphia domestic, FL cents
export, 1914, and Baltimore, 20 am
1914 cents.