The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-04-24

The following deductions, made by
one of Astoria's knowledgable and
studious citizens, makes interesting
reading, and convey hint to the peo-
pie of Portland engaged in grain
shipping that may be Of value to them
as we'll as to the grain-raisers OF the
Inland Empire:
To the Editor:
An editorial in the Oregonian of the
10th inst, entitled Lower Rates, Not
Longer Haul" is worthy OF your
consideration, excepting the usual
"Oregonian" kick at the depth OF
water on the Columbia river bar which
lis not worthy of attention. The edi-
torial goes on to say:
"As the Seattle rate and all other
Puget Sound rates are based on the
! Portland, etc.
/ "That rate reductions will be made
| in the near future is highly probable,
and quite naturally the cost OF haul
| ing wheat to tide water by way oi
Portland, will be the base on which
any new rate which may be quoted
will be established.
| But it is hardly reasonable to sup
/ pose that the railroads will quietly
grant a reduction in freight rates, if
they are asked to haul wheat 100
miles farther than is necessary, with
out a possibility OF their receiving
anything for the increased distance
covered.
AS an outsider (not railroad
mani | quite agree with the Oregon
| ian, that it is not reasonable to sup
pose that railroads will haul freight
100 miles, or any other distance,
further than is necessary without
compensation in some manner. On
this bold statement of facts, as to
distance haul Portland is therefore
clearly entitled to a lower freight rate
than is Seattle for instance, as
Seattle is 180 miles farther to haul
the freight. 1t costs money to operate
freight trains.
The Oregonian is mistaken how,
ever, when it says that the Portland
rate has been the base for establishing
the rate to Puget Sound ports.
am not a railroad freight man anc
| do not know their basis for establish
ing freight rates, unless it is, as Jay
Gould said: "All the traffic vii
bear"
From all competitive points the Q
In. & N. Co. were supposed to charg'
the same rates to Portland, as thu
Northern Pacific charged to Seattle
but the facts are, that for some rea
son, or reasons, the business coul'
not be done at Portland as cheap a
at Seattle, and the o. R. & N hav
been giving rebates and absorbing
charges to the Portland shippers t
enable them to complete, and do bust
ness on an even footing with tn
Puget Sound ports, and this has bee
going on for many years.
All those rebates and absorbing
of charges by the Q. R. & N. in fayo
,of the Portland shippers, eventual
came out OF the pocket of the pre-
, ducers (the farmers) of Eastern Ore
gon and Washington. There is littl
cohesion or initiative amongst farm
Iers. but the business men of Portlan
are to blame and should have lon
ago awakened to the fact that the cit
, zens of the Inland Empire were bein
e robbed by the repacious railroads.
The direct loss to the producers
] the Inland Empire during, say, the la
t 20 years, must have been somethln
e enormous, enough to repay the Unite
:. States government for money expen'
!, led on the jetty at the mouth of Il
Columbia, and some left over
+ dredge the Willamette and build
: new lock at the Cascades and one
ecITIZEN1