The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-02-24
BY William Francis Guion.

In his efforts to whip the devil
around the stump, Mr.. Durham this
morning tells you, tentatively, that
only FIVE Spokane shippers could be
found to oppose the railroad COM
mission bill. This because, yester-
day, I mentioned the names Of Ave
strong houses which signed the tele-
graphic protest against the passage
Of the bill.
Mr.. Durham would have you believe
that only five shippers oppose the
bill.
But let me tell you something Mr..
Durham dare not contradict
There are SO jobbers and manufac-
turers who are members of the Spo-
kane Shippers association. At the
last meeting of the association every
member, but one, voted against the
proposition to support the commits
sion bill.
Those shippers did not sign the
telegram, did not Withhold their sig
natures because they favored a COM
mission bill. They declined to sign
UCtduSe thCy pan VI
campaign against the commission bill
"a plan which the Spokesman Re-
view speedily betrayed to the coast
shippers.
Mr. Durham dare not direct his ac-
cusations against the businesses men
of Spokane who are battling for the
preservation of their investments.
Instead he creates a boyle railroad
machine which he tells you is re-
sponsible for the protests made
against his dream born political
hobby.
But you must expect a mass Of
misrepresentation in the frantic sup
ham is not man big enough and
broad enough to admit his mistake
publicly. He has pursued his crea-
tion go long without public opposition
that he will stoop to anything that
is likely to prevent fair and impair
tial criticism.
In selecting the rates yesterday to
indicate the position in which the
Spokane shippers are placed, l had
two sets Of quotations to choose
from. One lot of quotations was from
the o. r. n N. The. second was from
the Great Northern rate sheets.
The o. r. 81 N. quotations were
chosen because they were lower. They
give the coast shipped distributing
rate back to Spokane territory of
$1.1B, this being based on the Mis-
souri, river rates.
1t is used by shippers to enforce
the argument that the o. r. & N. will
reduce the rates back from the coast.
The Great Northern rate sheets
show first class rate from the east
to Spokane of $415. They show, too,
a first class terminal rate from the
same eastern points to coast points
of $2.67. They show these distribute
ing rates from Portland and Seattle
70 Spokane:
First class, $1.4S; second, $1.3S;
third. 95c; fourth, SIC; fifth, 75c.
Even the railroads will admit that
these rates. in existence for the past
Is years, are too high. They will tell
you, as will the coast shippers, that
the first move made by the latter will
be to apply for reduction Of these
rates-a reduction already quoted by
the o. r. e. NJ, through a different
tariff combination.
But. so far, 1t is not the probable
reduction of coast distributing rates
which have attempted to show.
1T is THE RAISING OF SPO-
KANE DISTRIBUTING RATES
WHICH IS TO BE FEARED AS IN
EvITABLE.
In the mass Of letters and commu-
nications received since the initial
publication of these articles punctur-
ing the bubble of Durhamism, have
been asked frequently where the far
mer of eastern Washington will be
benefited, or injured, by a railroad
commission bill. Also numerous
queries have been sent tending to
show that the wholesale grocer, the
farmers chief concern, after his
crops are sold. will be the worst suf-
erer under coast ridden commission.
1t will be the farmer and the grocer
I shall touch upon In this installment.
Primarily the farmer can expect
very little benefit from railroad
commission, even though that COM
mission would work wholly for the
eastern portion Of the state-which It
will not do.
BY action of the legislature in past
years the farmer today Is getting
about as low rate on his grain as
he may expect for years to come.
In the early days 1t cost the farmer