Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-29
NOTABLE GATHERING OF oTTUM.
WA BUSINESS MEN MAKE PLANS
FOR A UNITED MOVE BEFORE
INTERSTATE COMMISSION.
PETITION WILL BE
FILED SATURDAY
LEGAL ACTION TO SECURE A
SQUARE DEAL IN FREIGHT TAR
IFFs WILL BE FOUGHT OUT BE-
FORE COMMERCE COMMISSION.

"a square deal for OttumWa ana
her interests--no favors, simply JUS
tice.' This was the slogan Of the big
army Of Ottumwa business men VINO
gathered at the court house last even.
ing for a general discussion of the
discriminative freight rates which are
barrassing the city's interests. The
meeting was preliminary to
the eventful occasion Saturday morn
ing. when a prominent attorney, rep
resenting the Ottumwa Commercial
association will lay the city's COM
plants before member of the Inter-
state Commerce commission. peti-
tion bearing unassailable proofs that
Ottumwa is compelled to pay freight
rates from ten to seventy-fve per cent
higher than any other city in thu
state will be presented, asking an
equitable adjustment of the schedule
or else satisfactory explanation why
these rates are so inccngruously main
tanned The case will be heard at 10
o'clock and the mass meeting last
evening was for the purpose Of Great
ing a cooperative spirit among every
business man of the city, urging them
toslend their presence and moral sup
port to the occasion.
The members of the Ottumwa Com
niercial association instituted the CAM
paign and the mass meeting last night
was to arouse the business men and
citizens of Ottumwa to the commercial
danger which threatened them and to
enlist the entire body as a support to
the attacking forces which will assail
this prevalent wrong Saturday morn
tL,1 l,ac f1f.
of the country, familiar with such
legal work will present the case for
the city and prominent member of
the Interstate Commerce commission
will occupy the judges chair.
Ask No Partially.
The business men of Ottumwa ask
no partiality from the railroads. They
simply demand fairness. They are re-
solved to get square deal. The
unanimous decision of the meeting
last evening was that once started, the
action for square deal will be push
ed until the railroads awake to the
fact that Ottumwa is not a dead city.
The dictators of the freight tariffs will
be so overwhelmed with unassailable
proofs that Ottumwa is one of the
best centers in Iowa that an equit-
able adjustment and complete revision
of the now dlscriminative schedule
can be the only result
To this end the citizens of Ottum-
wa have banded together. The mem
bers Of the Commercial association as
sert that the fight will be hard one
to win. With the same confidence they
state that the contest will be won
The leaders in the campaign hold evil
dence, tangible and undisputable,
which cannot be gainsayed.
No Mushroom Idea.
The decision thai Ottumwa Is the
victim of an unfair freight tariff and
for that reason is placed at a serious
disadvantage in the competition with
other cities of the state Is no mush-
room idea The business men of this
city have been aware of their awkward
handicap for years. They have resent
ed the discriminative tariff for years.
They have watched their business and
Dttumwa's interests suffer untold In
Gries from the unfair treatment the
municipality receives at the hands of
The railroad operators, for tedious
periods of time.
This is not the first time open re-
hellion has accompanied the operation
of the unfair freight appraisements.
The question has been debated be.ore.
more than once. Ottumwa was not
successful. The men who assembled
tie information and presented the
case had no backing. number of
the foremost manufacturers, whole
aalers and shippers to whom the set
tlement of the question is Of the most
vital Importance were defeated be-
cause the great army of Ottumwa
iSiness men, who are all victims OF
the freight rates and who will all, be
vastly benefited by an equitable
adjustment Of the tariff, failed to
present solid front to the enemy.
Realizing the necessity of such a
show of strength and sympathy the
Commercial association has forestalled
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