Omaha daily bee., 1908-02-20
AbrOgatiOn of Long Haul Clause
Would Work Great Injury.
COMPETITION BE ELIMINATED
Not Only Rates, but Competition for
Trade Territory, Curtailed.
NO REAL BENEFIT TO ANYONE
General Dodge In Washington on
Business Connected with COntrO-
verry over the Location of
the Grant Monument.
CFrom a staff Correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 1s.-(Specia
Telegram )-The Commercial club o.
Omaha is calling the attention OF the Ne
braska delegation 90 senate bill No. 127.
which has for its purpose the elimination OF
the words under substantially similar cir
cumstances and conditions" from section
of the act to regulate commerce. In the
judgment Of the club as expressed through
its commissioner, ]. NJ. Guild, the bill will
not accomplish the purpose for which Il Is
intended, namely, lower rates by the rigid
application of the long and short haul
clause. In this letter to the delegation Mr..
Guild says:
1--WE have every reason to believe the
railroads in preference to applying terminal
rates at intermediate points, especially on
circultous lines will cancel rates at such
terminal points and thereby deprive them
OF much needed competition with no bene-
fit to other points"
Mr.. Guild gives as an incident the nn-
nois Central, which in order to reach
Omaha from the south runs through north
ern Iowa where higher rates are main
tained than at Omaha. This, he says may
seem unjust, but in similar cases, unless In
termediate rates are unreasonable in them
selves, the commission has invariably sus-
any terminal point being entirely dissimi-
lar to those at intermediate stations and It
is the commissioners opinion that If rigid
rule were applied as proposed in the bill
Omaha would lose the competition Of the
Illinois Central and various other lines.
I'VE are not opposed to a reduction OF
rates" said Mr. Guild. but believe in
equalization to permit competing towns TO
do business in the same territory an
equitable basis, but in this instance we can
see no benefit for anyone and only injury
to commerce generally"
The commissioners deep-rooted convic
tion is that If the change as contemplated
is made in the act all elasticity In rates
will be killed and the discretionary power
OF the commission taken from IT, He, there
fore urged UPON the delegation TO oppose
the measure
Burkett to Speak in Boston.
Advices from Massachusetts to Senator
Burkett show a great interest in the forth
coming speeches of Secretary Taft and
Mr. Burkett at a banquet before the Re-
publican club of the state, which will be
held in Boston on March g. In addition
to the war secretary and Senator Burl5ett,
other speeches will be made by Governor
Curtis Guild and the lieutenant governor.
General Dodge in Washington.
General Grenville NJ Dodge of Council
Bluffs is visiting Senator Allison and will
remain here for the remainder of the week.
His visit to Washington is in connection
with the Grant statue site.
Minor Matters mt Capital.
Bids were opened today at the Treasury
department for a conduit wiring system for
illumination of the grounds and public
building at Lincoln. The lowest bidder was
the Standard Electric company of Omaha
at S1,450.
Fred r. Melick. Marvin L. Cole and
Charles II. Jones have been appointed car
riers and Neil NJ Myers, substitute car
rier, to commence service March i at
Perry, Ia, on which date city delivery
service will be inaugurated.
Iowa postmasters appointed: Boxholm,
Boone county. Adolph Risholm, vice John
Hocke. resigned Elwell, Story county,
Spencer Smith, vice e. NJ. Thompson, re-
signed.