Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-27
Growers Htd Already Protested to Inter-
state Commerce Commission.
DISCRIMINATION IS KNOCKED OUT
California Producers and Dealers East Of
Missouri River kTo6tsd.
five EXPRESS COMPANIES COMPLAINED OF
Usieyanee AGAinst Them Probably
WIN Re LAid BEFORE CommissiOu
by western Fruit JObbers'
Association.

in response 10 a protest 4. West
srn Fruit Jobbers' ssBocisA ~ Rock
islond has promised TO disct 4, :; re-
coneignrnent charge Of from 5. III sr
car on fruits and vegetables "
been charged since early this mont II
a tAieEFAm telling u the revoking q. 2,
order was received yesterday BY E.N
Branch, secretary OF the association. fro. 2
II. Cover. freight trafic manage Of the
Rock Island, as the result Of considerable
correspondence. The fruit growers had al
ready made y complaint 70 the Interstate
Commerce commission and had intended TO
push the case la the event OF the refusal
of the road 10 make the desired conces-
sion.
Prier TO November II had been customary
TO allow the ieshipment or reconsignment
VI goods In car lots. from points on the
Rock Island without extra charge. Fruit
men In Omaha Kansas City and other
iobbing points we're unable TO reconsign
their fruit Az will for a through rate from
the starting point. The new order Inn
posed charge Of = a car on points east
Of The Missouri and IS on cars on the river
and west. This charge aid not apply 70
fruits from California and not only i'm
posed burden on tho commission men, but.
favor Of points east Of the Missouri river
and California fruit growers. Mr.. Branch
took The matter up with the trafic depart
munt Of the road and also made a COM
plaint 60 the Interstate Commerce com
mission. The telegram received yesterday
was the result, Owing 10 the thirty-day
notice required by the new rate law the
change will not take place until Decen-
her %.
ExPFeHs Companies Involved.
The Western Fruit Jobbes association
also has grievance against the five lead
ing express companies operating in this
territory that win probably BE- laid before
the Interstate Commerce commission. II
is claimed the express companies. either
themselves or through their agents, have
been engaging extensively in the fruit
business on their own hook. and entetfne
i4to djrect eognpetision with the pafronf
~ thcirsgires. one 81 the cases discovered
~ Mr. Bteaeh fn his investigation is II
sUbstancs that route agent OF the Wens
E@iFRo Express company has been huyinl
berries. peaches and other fruits arount
Joplin, Mo. during the last season in com
petition with the commission men. Othel
companlas, st IS claimed. do a general com
misslon and consignment business, not Onl,
IN fruit and vegetables but In all imagina
hio kinds OF produce and wares. Th
American Bankers association recently de
cded to complain against the express com
panies for, selling money orders, claiming
The companies were doing a banking busl
ness IN competition with the banks.
The express companies deny their par
IN She cases alleged and also assert th
recent rate bill does not apply 10 them 4
liz provision prohibiting carriers engngin
i'm other businesses, II iS said while tn
bill was in congress- the words 'commo
carriers" were cut out and railroads" in
serted IN order that the law might nc
apply TO pipe lines. In doing this, how
ever, n is asserted express companies wer
also excluded.
me Western Fruit Jobbers' sssOC4Sto
will meet in Kansas city January 2, an
4. and Mr. Branch will make an exhnustiy
report Of HE Investigation The sssociatio
viii then decide what action VIII be takei
The jobbers will watch the action OF n
commission in the case complained OF b
the bankers, az It IL similar to their cas-