Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-31
The Interstate Rate on Milk and Cream
too Low Instead Of too High.

Last year the creamery interests,
in the big cities of the states adj
jacent to Iowa, induced number OF
the railroads which cross this state
to publish an indefensibly low inter-
state rate on milk and cream. Under
that rate milk and cream were car
ried as baggage on passenger trains
from Manchester to Chicago for SO
cents per hundred, and the cans re-
turned free of charge; while similar
commodities, carried only on freight
trains, were charged $ll6 per hun
dred for the same haul.
Under that rate milk and cream
could be shipped from western Iowa
to Chicago for less freight charge
than to creameries in eastern Iowa,
notwithstanding the fact that the
haul to Chicago was 200 miles or
more longer than the haul to the Iowa
creameries.
The injustice of such rate to the
creameries of Iowa could not be ex-
cused or defended upon any grounds,
and for that reason it was withdrawn.
A new interstate rate on milk and
cream will go into effect on the LIST
Of next September. This new rate,
when compared with the service
rendered and the rates charged for
other commodities, is still too low;
but the owners Of these foreign
creameries are not satisfied. They
have appealed to the Interstate Com
,,nerce Commission, and, according
to report, the Iowa Railroad Com
mission is going to intervene on be-
half Of the dairy industry Of Iowa,
and prevent, if possible, discrim-
mating freight rate which sooner or
later would destroy all local cream
cries.
Instead Of reducing this new rate,
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion should increase it. The follow
ing are some of the facts which war
ront on ;poroaca.
L. The new rate on milk and
cream from Manchester to Chicago
is only GO cents per hundred, and
the cans are returned free of charge
Milk and cream arc the only com.
nodities carried as baggage on pas.
senger trains without being accom-
panied by passenger holding trans.
portation or paying fare. And when
baggage in excess of q certain
limit is carried for passenger from
Manchester to Chicago, such exces.
baggage is charged for at the rat,
Of S5 cents per hundred; and exces
baggage can be piled up three o
four boxes or trunks high, and han
died much cheaper than cream cans
each one of which must be set OF
the floor of the car and handled
with care.
2. The rate on first class freight
carried only in freight cars, iron
Manchester to Chicago, is So cent
per hundred, but many commodi
ties which are bulky, like furniture
or require more than ordinary car
in handling, like liquids in cans
Grated jugs and demijohns, pa
double first class rates, or $l.l6 pc
hundred between Manchester an,
Chicago. And there are many 9th
er things, which are charged for a
double first class rates, for instance
glass doors, millinery goods. nur
sery stock, oil cloths in rolls, orna
ments such as church statuary
scientific instruments, etc.
3. These articles, upon which
double first class rate is changed
require on an average no more car
or car room than cream in cans
Why then should the Chicago rat
on these articles, of SIG per hun
dred, be considered reasonable, ant
AGO cents per hundred rate for TIL
same haul ON cream in cans be con
sidered too high? If IS cents pc
hundred is reasonable charge Oh
excess baggage from Manchester t,
Chicago, how can it be REASONABLE,
claimed that 60 cents per hundred
rite for the same haul on cream i,
cans is too high? And why ar
the pa,ties, in VII 81 intlea' TIL
more than reasonable rate has BEEF
made. appealing to the Interstate
Com nerce Conn ission for still
love- late?