The Washington herald., 1907-12-09

a change in the present law regarding
the powers Of the commission may be
one outcome Of this case, which VIII be
heard by the commission on December
II. II has been suggested that hereafter
no railroad be permitted 10 advance a
rate until a hearing on the justice Of that
rate be granted and It's fairness adiudged
by the commission.
George H Emerson. Of Grays Harbor,
Washington, a member Of the rate com
mittee Of the Lumber Manufacturers
Association Of the Northwest. arrived in
this city last night full OF the feeling
that the railroads ''out there have been
giving that section the worst end of the
deal
The goose that laid the golden egg. -
he said, has been killed. and the rail-
roads were active in the operation. Four
weeks ago the railroads had a thousand
cars loaded with lumber and shingles
west OF the Cascades and had given
notice 10 the mills that but few more
could be furnished for such east-bound
traffic. To-day they have scorcely a
train OF loads and have a thousand
empties west Of the Cascades Fer the
first time IN years the mills are offered
all the cars they can load and they
want none
sdr. Emerson said that for many years
the lumber mills Of the Northwest have
furnished the railroads with east-bound
freight for every car and paid them
for their haul more than the cost Of
handling all their freight, both east and
west-b0und. Meanwhile. ne said, the
mill har Fnrrr --T
cars. and each year, as more foreign
freight arrived, they have been given
fewer cars, until il entered the brain
OF the man who controls these roads that
they could, perhaps. get a higher freight
rate and still load their empties east -
This resulted in the raise on lumber
IL is twice the lunberman's s entire profit.
therefore al shipments have stopped and
the mills have closed. The railroads are
out Of eastbound freight. and the most
Of a hundred thousand Iumbermen and
an army OF railroad men are out OF en-
ployment. with ruin staring them in the
face; If this freight rate is not canSeled
by the Interstate Commerce Commission
OF our Western railroad magnate does not
recover his mental balance.
Says Hill Is Gambler.
Mr.. Emerson said that President Hill.
the railroad builder OF years ago. was
honored and admired in the West. but
that the present Mr.. Hill. who he alleges
is a stock gambler. is a menace 70 the
a advancement OF that section.
Mr. Emerson said that the recent de-
velopments in the northwest and what
he alleged are the methods employed 10
keep out any competing road which de-
sires TO build into that territory. have
drivea him 10 believe that government
ownership of competing trunk lines own
ed by a single individual. is necessary.
However, the railroads and Nj Hill
are not going 10 raise the rates on lum-
Der if the Northwest can prevent it by
fighting. and the Northwest is almost
always ready to fight. In addition 10 the
forty leading lumbermen already here.
others are coming. The legal talent in
Washington at present for this case
consists Of Joseph y. Teal. OF Portland.
who represents Oregon dealers: George
Dysart, OF CentraIia. Wash who repre-
sents the Southwestern Washington deal
eTs. and ". H Abel, Of Montesano.
Wash. who viii represent the lumber
Manufacturers Association OF Washing
ton.
In addition to these Western attorneys
and several others from that section who
will arrive later. the firm OF Wimbish
Watkins & Ellis. OF Atlanta. Ga, has
been engaged for the case This firm
won a famous suit OF a similar nature
against several Southern lines some years
ago.