The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-01-25
JOINT RATE HARD PROBLEM
Commissioner Lawrence Tells What
Commission Hopes to Do.
WILL DECIDE THE WHEAT QUESTION
Complaint Will Not be Considered by
Board Until Some Time in
June.
WILL DECIDE The WHEAT QUESTION

John c. Lawrence, Of Olympia, mem.
Der of the Washington State Railroad
night, and COVE expression to views
concerning freight rate conditions ex-
listing and the probable result of action
by the commission in the next few
months, says the Telegram. The COM
mission is conceded by many to have
brought to producers of eastern Wash
ington assurance that more favorable
rates as well as additional privileges
may be secured.
The Northern Pacific and o. r. & N.
railroads are holding out strongly
against proposed establishment of joint
and reduced freight rates On wheat
and there is little Or no prospect of
an amicable adjustment of the exist
ing differences of opinion on this score.
This being the case, and the railroads
undergoing no change in attitude in the
meantime, this all-important question,
which affects all railroads doing bust
ness in Washington, will come up for
formal hearing before the Washington
railroad commission at no remote date
This question, which comes up reg
form of complaint by farmers of east
ern Washington, is by far the most
weighty which the commission has
been called upon to decide.
While the Northern Pacific and O. R
& N. companies-the most vllally in
terested-will be given ample time to
consider, the commission desires to
study up the rate question. 1t is
therefore announced positively by
Commissioner Lawrence that there
will be no formal hearing of the COM
plant until early in June. Until that
time, unless an agreement is reached
sooner, all discussions will be of an
| informal and educational nature.
wheat nate is PROBLEM.
The question of adjusting the rate
upon wheat, is doubly important, in
a joint rate between Eastern Wash
inoton and Puget Sound and Columbia
river points, and the reduction of mis-
present rates over the Northern Paci-
fic and o. r. & N. lines.
This is the first time the rate re-
duction problem has come up before
the commission in the abstract" says
Commissioner Lawrence, "and we feel
the Importance of it strongly. The
slightest mistake would cost the state
dearly, and we propose to take plenty
of time to inform ourselves fully be-
fore taking any action whatever of a
definite nature.
when the commission was created
the railroads assumed a combative at
titude and threatened to attack the
| jurisdiction of the body at the first at
official duty the commission was called
upon to perform was the adjustment
of a joint rate upon coal between the
! Northern Pacific and o. r. & N. lines.
The result was an amicable settle
ment, whereby both roads accepted a
joint rate of s2.S5 per ton for Roslyn
coal between Gle Elum, on the North
ern Pacific and Colfax, on the o. R. &
N. The former rate Of $40 between
these two points made the use of Ros-
Ign coal, a Washington product, pro-
hibitive to the people of southeastern
Washington.
Question of Jurisdiction.
Livestock and merchandise were
two of the commodities which the rail-
roads voluntarily included in the joint
rate schedule, but since this action on
their part constituted an involuntary
admission of the jurisdiction of the
commission, this question is practi-
cally settled, and appeal taken from
any action which we may take in
the adjudication of the wheat rate
will be upon the question of equality
and not of authority
r. hn yx-hn