The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-05

johnson. who has had wide experience
in the traffic departments of various
railroads. will probably have charge oil
the bureau. Mr.. Johnson was at enc
time connected with the claim depart
ment of the Southern Pacific. The
headquarters of the new freight bu-
reau viii be in the chamber of com
merce with the Merchants & Manu-.
facturers' association.
The idea of a freight traffic bureau
has been under consideration by tn,
association for several months. In hi:
annual report Orson II. Hewitt, whs
retired as president of the association
two weeks ago, recommended that the
association take active steps to estab
fish and maintain such a bureau.
canvass of the city was made and {
large majority of the shippers were
found to favor the plan.
At the request OF President j. A
Valentine of the Manufacturers
Merchants association, H L. johnson
wrote letter TO the board of directors
of the association setting forth the ad
vantages of the establishment of the
bureau The letter was read and dis
cussed at the meeting of the director.
on Monday evening. With the unani
nous endorsement of the association
the promoters of the plan began yes
terday morning to solicit subscribers K
the bureau. The membership in the
new association is not limited 10 mem
bers of the Manufacturers & Mer.
chants association, but will be made
to include all shippers and consignee:
of the state
Railroad and Shipper.
Mr.. Johsons letter TO the board o.
directors follows:
THE same relation should exist be
tween railroad company and its patron.
as exists between all other trade inter
ests, that of publicity, and the privilege
OF arbitration. and they should be Obliged
to base their charges and rules upoT
actual conditions rather than upon wha
they can squeeze out of a producer in hi
utter dependence upon transportation. ii
other words. the test of the reaSOna BILE
ness of rate or rule is not in the amour
of profit in the business OF the shippe
and manufacturer. but whether the rat,
yields reasonable compensation for tn
services performed. Carriers necessa riil
and justly participate in the prosperit,
of their patrons in the resultant enlarge
ment of their own business. The rail
road companies maintain a system of com
pillnS data relating to industrial pro
greSs, which is prepared in a preliminary
way by the agent in any respective com
munlty and forwarded to the superinten
QtnI OF tldl DIVISION. VINO IN turn pre-
paTeS, along with his tonnage and gen
eral report. a statement of what an,
certain community might be able to sus
/ tain in the way of advanced rates o
otherwise The shipper himself is no
generally consulted in these arrange
ments. but is Obliged to submit to what
ever the railroad company sees fit to lev.
upon him, resulting in certain curtail
ment of his product, and the Increased
cost of living to the consumer. the con
sumner and the producer are governed il
this instance solely by the law of eco
nOmics while the railroad cOmpanie.
seemingly take the stand that they ar
above this law. II is not possible TO
anyone to revise this law; it may be dis
regarded for a time in the cOmplacen
assent of the people, but they, like th'
proverbial worm, Will turn. The fact tina
it is turning. and that the railroads arr
being made to account for many things
is evidenced in the vigorous Legislation
they are being subjected to.
Thinks Railroads Are Abused.
Several days ago l talked with gen
tleman representing large mercantile in
terests here, and when the subject o.
a freight bureau was mentioned he de
clared emphatically that he did not favor
it. l asked him why. and he replied tina
he believed the railroads were being
abused; that the present condition o
freishts in general was necessitated ow
ing TO the improvements the railroad:
seemed to be the butt Of these freigh
conditions. and cited other communitie:
whose facilities had been increased many
fold He knew. but he didn't say
asked him to cite his opinion as a mat
ter of economy in the reduction of freight
rates. etc. and he stated that as Ions
as the people would stand it, he was con
tent to add his freight charges to hi:
invoice price. no matter how high th'
rate might be. My opinion of a maj
of this calibre-and | believe every pub
lic-spirited person would have the same
is that he is an abortion of nature, ana
should not be allowed to display his mar
row minded methods among fair-mindeC
business men. To systematic his &C
counts he had to add the freight o.
course. but TO properly systematic his
conscience he must needs add more e
his moral character i'm his relation to hi.
fellow man.
"The interstate commerce commission
has made several important rulings il
connection with the publicity of railroad
accounts. and much good will come OF
1t. but as a whole. under existing laws
the interstate commerce commission IS
unable to meet the countless petitions
which are presented TO them. How viii
the remedy be applied? The answer i:
simply this: Get together and make your
selves felt: affiliate yourselves with Other
traffic organizations of the country, FOL
who knows better than the jobber, manu-
facturer and consumer what he wants
yA-ng he needs