The daily sentinel., 1906-12-08
A MoNIENTors ACTION.

The action of the Chamber of Com.
merce last night, in deciding to begin
suit before the Interstate Commerce
commission, against the railroads en-.
tering this city, is the most momcn.
tous action taken by that body in
many years.
The purpose of the suit is TO test
the right of the Denver and Rio
Grande and Colorado Midland rail-
roads, TO rebill all eastern freight at
Denver, destined for Grand Junction
and other points on the western slope
making such traffic take the local tar
itf from Denver to the point of con-
signment.
The decision was not taken hastily,
but after mature and due considera-
ton. For years the question of secur-
ing for Grand Junction the Salt Lake
rate. as il is called. has been "A sub
iect for much consideration and COM
ment In all Grand junction CONNER
cial bodies, but action looking tow
ard securing that rate has been de
terred from time 10 time, for one rea-
son and another.
The conditions that have arisen
now, make il seem TO be the time to-
begin such action as will determine
the matter finally.
From the discussion last night and
the various communications read to
the meeting of the members of the
Chamber of Commerce, il would seem
that the railroads themselves are not
adverse TO seeing the matter finally
tested before the Interstate commerce
commission.
If there is any virtue in our con-
tention that we have been held up by
U 81, 10,
of the local tarir ON eastern shipped
goods to this city, we ought to he able
To prove that matter before the COM
mission. The railroads do not deny
that they do not apply through tarifls
TO eastern goods billed to this city.
They claim full right to rcbilI i'm Colo
RADIO territory and apply the local
rate, thereby making the freight to
this city higher than the rate al-
most anywhere else in the United
States. II has always been the con-
tcntiOn that Grand Junction never
would measure up to the future map
ped out for IL, so long as we did not
hnve II common point rate. In other
words Grand Junction would remain
n retail town, so long as we were de-
barred from securing a common point
rate. No town in Western Colorado
HAS illS fAlt anu btthlSt VI HS geo
graphical position, Grand junction is
entitled to be made n common point.
Nor is il wholly the fault of the
railroads that Grand junction has
been denied the common point rate. 1t
is said that the wholesale merchants
of Denver, backed by powerful in
flucnCeS have demanded from the rail
roads that Grand junction be kept out
of the through and common point rat
es.. Ii will be readily seen that, If
Grand junction secured common
point rate on all commodities that
Denver merchants could not ship TO
this territory with profit. They would
either be compelled to abandon this
territory to new competitors, or es-
tabish wholesale houses here themsel-
yes. The latter is what undoubtedly
they would do, as they could not af-
ford, TO under any circumstances per-
nit this trade to be taken from them.
For years past men have had their
eyes on this city as wholesale point
and whenever il is determined that
we are entitled and are receiving the
common rate enjoyed by Salt Lake
City, we will rise TO the future that
we have long anticipated.
The Interstate Commerce commits
sion will, if this city begins n suit TO
secure this rate, sit in this city and all
the facts Hppertaining to the descrim-
nation in freight tariffs, under which
this city suffered, be presented to
il by competent counsel.
IL must not be understood that, in
the commencement of this suit Grand
junction holds enmity toward the j
railroads in any manner whatever
They simply are endeavoring TO as
certain what their rights are under
the Interstate Commerce law and are
going after these conditions which
the law allows in IA city, located as
this city is. Did they not do so, the
citizens of this town would deserve to
remain in condition of mediocrity |
and be nothing more than n small
country town.