The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-08-04
fdR ITCalLL CAPITAL
SFRIDAY. AJEUST 4 1905.
il AGAINST SOUTH DAKOTA

l4 II %Af
Is AGAINST SOUTH DAKOTA
TIE Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Repub-
lican explains the reason the Chicago
newspapers are so deeply interested
nrailIoad rate legislation in the fol-
sssloWing article:
In discussing rairlOad rates most
people are simply selfish. They want
something for themselves. This fact
is very much in evidence in the dis
.sSCusaiOnS in some of the Chicago
sure that there Is something wrong
j With the railroad situation and they
'sallege two %reasons:s FiIst-.lhe rail-
roads to the gulf ports make lower
rates than the railroads to Chicago,
thus diverting the grain southwards
and preventing Chicago from leyYing
toll on 1T. Second-Some Of the rail-
roads make lower rates on dressed
meats than they dc on live stock
from the west to Chicago.
For these two reasons Chicago pap
efs are demanding new national leg
dSlation on the railroad question.
They want the national government
tO2pull their, chestnuts out Of the fire.
Now, we are not saying that the
railroad rates OF the present are
right. But the wrongs cited by the
Chicago papers do not seem so
wrong to the Iowa farmer. The
Iowa farmer, you know, is not inter
eSted in Chicago collecting tolls. If
the railroads running down grade to
the gHlf can haul the surplus grain.
TO seabOard cheaper than it can be
Ilauled through Chicago and New
York, past the toll takers, the farm
e I who raisestll grain see no reason
Tor interfering with that cheaper
route. What the Chicago people
want is exactly what the Iowa people.
do not want.
Andsto take it on the live stock
md meat rates: While Chicago is
interested in having a lower rate on
live stock than on dressed cattle.
iowa ~iSflnterested the other way. 1t
wants the lower ratei y dressed meat.
With much lower rate the live stock
market as dressed beef. That will
bei one way 81 building up packing
hOnses for both hogs and cattle in
Iowa and the building up OF such
packing honsessin Iowa will helpsto
destroy the beef trust exactions. The
chicago papers want the national
government to step in aud compel
such railroad rates as will destroy
the local packing houses in the west
and concentrate the business still
more firmly In Chicago. There is
every reason why dressed meats
should go to market for d lower rate
Than live stock for the risks are not
ms great and the trains neei not run
'0nasched1le tine.
You see When Chicago gets what it
wants Outo national railroad rate
Legislation, Iowa will have to submit
To- Gouletiaing that is exactly what
She does not want. How can the in
SterstAte5 com ercecommission satisfy
US both, Chicago and Iowa.
Whatgis good for Chicago in the
matter Of rate tIansportationwill not
meet South Dakota's requirements
In any manner whatever. To bring
shout q satisfactory condition TO the
ac0Mmission, where it would not be
Ibadgeredsto death by applications for
new rates and adjustments, would be
The adoption Of the mileage rate,
there Seemingly. could be no other
solution for the Question. When it
comes to placing the rates on a. mill
eaRe basis South Dakota would be
handicapped to very large extent
insgetting its products TO a distant
market. There isn't a producer in
this whole state but who would feel
the effect financially just as soon as
the rates weresmade. The people OF
Chicago look at the proposition from
their point Of view as being of great
assistance to them, and that is just
the way the Souhs Dakota people are
entitled to deal with the question:.
We OF the west are entitled to as low
rates proport.onately as any. other
states, and we can get IT where the
rates i established by the rail-
roads. With the power placed in the
hands OF = government commission.
there can be no fayors shown to any
slate Or community. We all form
theSgoyernment and nintey per cent
81 the people would reach the con-
Iclusion that they we're entitled to
some consideration simply because
they do form a part of the govern
.ment. The commission would have
all kinds Of trouble to settle In the
.Way Of too high a rate for one COM
Eunity, and that is where the d,sin-
terestedness OF the government COM
slD q would come In. They would
have to sit calmly by and refer the
people tosthe mileage rate basis as
the only mea Of relief.
The prosperity OF South Dakota
depends upon what the farmer can
get for his product and when we
have to pay an exorbitant rate to.
have nlr Grain and ctOrE 3haiIlad tn3