The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-03
KANSAS is IN IT.
Railroad Board Intervenes in
California Rate Case.
Interstate Commission ShO uld
Wipe Out Grain Differentials.
SQUARE DEAL WANTED
Kansas Flour Mills Sacrificed
by the Railroads.
Ashbaugh Will 60 to Portland,
Ore, to Fight Case.

!
the legislature the state of Kansas. by
| S. S. Ashbaugh, attorney for the state
board of railroad commissioners, today
/ interviewed before the Interstate Com
merce commission in the California
| grain and flour rate case started by
| the Howard Mills company of Wichita
against the Missouri Pacific, Santa Fe,
Rock Island, Burlington, D. & r. G.,
| Southern Pacific and Union Pacific
railways.
| This case was brought for the pur-
pose of wiping out the differentiaIs i'm
posed by railroad companies between
wheat and wheat flour shipped to Cali
fornia, for the purpose of enabling
wheat to California and mill it there
| in competition with Kansas miIlers.
Kansas millers contend that the Kan
| sas wheat should be milled in the state
| of its origin, and that it is unfair to
arbitrarily build up competitive mills
| in California by means of a differental
| freight rate.
This case is to be heard at Port
land. Ore, on April II, and Judge
Ashbaugh will go there at that time
for the purpose of plea ding the case
in behalf of Kansas shippers
| It was a year ago that the Howard
| fore the Interstate Commerce commits
| sion. j. E. Howard is president of
! this company. The petition set forth
| that the railroads were making a rate
| OF 55 cents per 100 on wheat and 65
cents per 100 on flour from Wichita to
San Francisco, and of $1.35 per 100
on flour and 81 per 100 on wheat to
Phoenix, Ariz.. all for the purpose of
| encouraging the shipment of Kansas
wheat to California and Arizona for
| milling purposes. The petition saws:
| Such differential operates disastrous
iy to the -four mills of Kansas, and
unJustly upbuilds the milling interests
! of the Pacific coast which are in COM
| petition with the flour mills of Kan
sas- The present rate on -four from
Kansas points to said California and
! ! arizona points, as above set forth. are
unreasonable and unduly prejudicfaI to
complainant and otffer manufacturers
of -four in the state eff Kansas
The Kansas mi1lers therefore wanted
| the rate on flour reduced SO that it
| might stand at the same with wheat
In January, 1907, the California Mil
lers- association of which Horace Dav-
is is president, interviewed in the case
as it was expected they would. Their
attorneys are Cushing. Grant & -Cush-
ing The California people were rep
resented at a meeting of the interstate
commerce commission in Wichita some
! weeks ago, and at that time asked that
the commission hold a meeting in Cali
fornia for the purpose of taking the
California evidence in the case The
eoriFnission had set a meeting for Port
matter at that time. This hearing will
take place April II.
The following is part of the "come
back of the California miIlers, in
their intervening petition in the case,
in which they set forth their side of
the controversy:
Petitioner further alleges that any
reduction in the present differentiaI
between wheat and -four rates, or in
the established minimum carload
weights of flour now effective between
Kansas and California points would
unjustly upbuild the milling interests
of Kansas, and would be unjust and
unreasonable and unduly prejudicfaI
to the various members of the petit
toner and to the milling interests of
California, and would subject the
manufacturers of flour in California to
unjust discrimination and undue pre-
ference and advantage to dealers.
manufacturers and shippers of flour
at Kansas points and to the -four traf-
fic therefrom.'
The effect of the Intervention of the
state of Kansas in the case is to place
the burden of the expense of the trial
of the case upon the state, instead of
upon the Howard Mills or the Kan
sas nillers in general. The theory is
that the matter is one of such impor-
tance that the state at large should
pay the expense. instead of the in
diVfduals to be benefited