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

as can be expected considering the
comparative density Of traffic re-
ceived by the railroads.
The very lowest rate that can be
expected IN the future in nine cents
a bushel and 1t will not be railroad
commission that will bring this
about, but an increase in the amount
Of grain handled.
So that, so far as the farmer is
concerned, natural conditions must
work out his further benefits from
grain rates.
With railroad commission the
farmer. 1t is true, would be given the
opportunity of asking for a more
equal division Of the car service and
an Improvement in depot facilities.
But in what state has railroad COM
mission succeeded in fairly adjusting
this dispute?
Year after year the fight has gone
on to secure more cars at given
point. Cheney will complain to the
railroad commission that not enough
care are given to that station. An
oIuC1 Will Dc IsSuCu anu tIlc iooo
company will, after fight, take cars
away from Davenport an dsend to
Cheney. Then Davenport will be the
aggrived party to another complaint
and the want will be filled by cars
destined to another small shipping
point.
All this time the railroads are pur-
suing their policy OF holding the
bulk of the car service at the big
shipping points, prepared for rush,
an dino railroad commission has yet
been able to dictate an actual distri-
per or the farmer. If the commission
becomes to insistent, the emergency
cars are run out across the state
line and stored.
1t Is the same story over and over
again. The railroads will not sacri-
small station. Not even a demurrage
bill will change that system.
The farmers of the state would he
called upon to pay their share of the
$4,000 annual expense of commits
sion without securing actual relief.
No state commission can assume jur-
isdiction over cars not I'm the state.
No law can compel railroad COM
pany to furnish what 1t hasn't got.
Every jobber have conversed with
has said that If railroad commits
sion Is established in this state under
the conditions proposed, the whole
sale grocer of Spokane will be wiped
out of existence. l have found none
to admit even fighting chance.
But before going into this life and
death struggle of the grocer would
refer to one point illustrative of the
present prosperity of the Spokane
jobbers and manufacturers.
The tonnage reports of the rail-
roads for Spokane station shows that
THE JOBBING OUTPUT FROM
SPOKANE HAS MORE THAN
DOUBLED WITHIN THE PAST
TWO YEARS.
In other words the shipment of less
than carload lots by Spokane jobbers
and manufacturers to their customers
in Spokane territory Is twice as large
now as 1t was two years ago. THE
SPOKANE JOBBER is DOUBLING
HIS BUSINESS UNDER THE PRE-
SENT SYSTEM.
Does that indicate anything to you?
Does that show you that the Spokane
shipper is at present getting rates
which are not being given to the
coast shippers.
DO you believe coast commits
sioner would permit a continuance of
this bit of favorism If he could pre-
vent It?
The life of the wholesale grocery
business rests upon a continuance of
the present rate adjustment which
has made such growth possible.
Even as 1t is, the Spokane whole
saler is laboring under a great disad-
vantage owing to the fact that the
bulk of his goods comes from coast
points In which his only protection
against the coast jobber are the car
load rates against the less than car
load rates, backed by the differentials
between class and commodity rates.
All rate makers argue that a diff
ferential of 10 cents per 100 Is ample
as between carload and less than car
load rates. Their one aim is to pre-
serve that differential.
But here are a few quotations
which demonstrate how the rates to
Spokane are manipulated.
On canned goods, carloads. the COM
modify rate per 100, Seattle to Spo-
kane. 10 55 cents. Less than car
loads, 80 cents--a differential of rs
-A.----~-~-.s',-s- = ~ :. : . &C .
Sugar. the greatest commodity. has
a rafa GaaIfIa 10 Hnnkana On rloadu