Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-06
Plan is Promulgated by Transconti-
mental Freight Association.
GREAT SHOCK TO SHIPPERS
They Believed Tariffs Would Not Be
Lifted Just at This Time.
RAILROAD MEN DEFEND ACTION
Say IL VIII Make Uniform RRtes from
Pacific Coast 20 River and
VIII Not InsuFe Any
IntSreAt.

Application for an injunction is being
prepared to restrain transoontnental rail-
way lines from advancing the rates from
the Pacific coast to the Missouri river and
from the Utah common points to the Mis-
souri, river. by the Missouri River Whole
sale Grocer's association which has mem-
bers in Kansas City, st. Joseph, Omaha
and Sioux City.
| The petition will be filed within a short
time and in all probability in federal court
at Kansas City or Omaha. It will be asked
that the roads be restrained from putting
1 into effect the tariffs filed by r. II.
Countlss. agent Of the Trauscontinental
Freight association May p, ard effective
July 10. These tariffs show an advance Of
10 cents from Pacific coast points to the
Missouri jobbng centers. advancing the
rate from 80 cents per 100 to 60 cents on
sugar. Another advance proposed is from
/ Utah points the advance being 10 cents per
| 100 from 80 to IS cents.
II the rates become effective those to
Missouri river points from Utah and from
the Pacific coast will be on the same basis
as from the western points to Chicago
and the Mississippi river. In other words.
the railroads propose to charge Kansas
/ City, st. Joseph Omaha and Sioux City
haul the commodities on to the Mississippi
river for the present rate which is GO cents.
From Coast to River.
] The proposed rates are to be from the
coast to Missouri river and intermediate
points" which means that all stations east
Of Utah will have G0-cent rate from the
Pacific coast and those east Of Colorado
TO and including the Missouri river cities,
will have a rate of 45 cents from the Utah
points.
Notice from the Transcontinental Freight
association that the advance would be
made came like clap OF thunder out Of
clear sky" TO the Omaha wholesale
grocers. Just at time when 1t was be-
lieved that the railroads were doing their
best to assist the Missouri river eities in
developing a trade unparalleled in the his
tory of the vest
Just what caused che roads to take the
action Is a matter of conjecture. Some
time ago the Grand Island sugar shippers
asked the Nebraska Railway commission
TO give them a lO-centl rate from OMAHA
to Grand Island on such commodities as
sugar. because the railroads years ago
made a rate of 10 cents on sugar from
Grand Island TO Omaha TO assist the west
ern sugar factories
The present rate on sugar from Grand
Island TO Omaha is 10 cents, while the rate
on sugar and other commodities in the
class from Omaha TO Grand Island is 26
cents
Tariffs Now in Vogue.
To secure some commodities from the
Pacific coast Grand Island people pay the
; Missouri river rate to Omaha and the To-
cal rate Of &c cents from Omaha to Grand
! Island. They asked for a 6o-cent rate
} from the Pacific coast and proposed to
fight for It,
When the railroads learned OF the fight
! which the Grand Island shippers had
started TO obtain a lower rate. one
equivalent to a 6O-cent rate from the Pa
cific coast the tariff on the transconti-
} mental association followed. Whether the
Grand Island case inspired them is not
3 known. II was said for n time that the
8 Union Pacific was the only one instru-
mental in advancing the rate. but this was
discredited when the tariff filed with the
Interstate Commerce commission by the
transcontinentaI lines fell into the hands
0 Of Omaha shippers and showed that all
lines were included.
The secretary of the Missouri River
Wholesale Grocers association Is c. f.
$ Hayes Of Kansas City. Omaha wholesale
e grocers did not care TO discuss the propo-
stion. Commissioned J. NJ. Guild OF the
, Commercial club referred inquirers to W.
/ H.
> speak for the Missouri River Wholesale
Grocers' association. But the tariff has
been issued and shows the advance and
the application Of an injunction IL in
. preparation.
a Defense of Railroads.
. Traffic officers OF lines handling the
q Pacific coast-Mssoun river business, de-
n fend the action OF the transcontinental
lines in which they are included and say
that the Omaha. Sioux City and other Mis-
Y souri, river jobbers viii not lose by the new
tariff.
a The new tariff simply makes the same
rates to interior Nebraska points as TO the
Missouri river From this II appears that
the railroad basis heretofore effective.
=, when rates from the west 10 interior points
. were predicated on the rate TO the Missouri
! river plus the return local. will not be
recognized in the future even by the rail-
= roads which have made rates in the old
@" way so long.
The view OF John W. Munroe freight
n traffic manager OF the Union Pacific 10
n typical of the way in which the traffic
officials look at the situation, though the
" Union Pacific is only one Of the roads in
volved and not necessarily more interested
than other lines
Hew MuRroe Puts IL.
,e In connection with the complaint or
IN Grand Island people for a 10 cent vest
bound rate on sugar, Omaha 10 Grand
Island. because they have that rate on
eastbound business was suggested the
question Of resurrecting the sugar question
,e in general" said Mr., Munroe The roads
r. found conditions so materially changed
since the Pacific coast rate 10 the Mis-
M souri, river was made, particularly since the
, development of the beet sugar Industry in
o., Utah. Idaho. Colorado and Nebraska, that
:, the transport alton lines felt there should be
a readjustment Of the sugar rates In the
west, making the rates effective In Me-
braska substantially the same as In Kan
b. sas making the same rate apply a
be- maximum rate % interior KanFas points
a. as well az TO the Missouri river"
ly L.nr ihla reasnn- According 20 The traffic