The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-03-26


e cred. Railroad men We're not dis
{ honest, nor did they as rule mean
, to be unfair; but they are human ami
f. liable to err; also they were very apt
! to yield to communities in whose be.
half systematic, organized and intel
ligent effort was being made. Hence
: the need of organiza ion if com
munity would make itself felt in any
} protest against unfair treatment In
dividual effort would not avail Pro
tests of this kind either did net i'm
press railroad officials at all, or were
subject 10 their whim, given atten-
ltion or not as ne might, in his rush
of other work. find ii convenient or
possible Moreover, an individual
shipper was seldom able to present
his case effectively. for want Of thor
ough knowledge of the subject, and
his argument would be met by an
avalanche of figures. etc, from the
railroad officials. which would bury
his protest out of sight. The railroad
companies were all well organized.
and it was necessary for shippers to
organize If they would meet them eff
| fectiyely in any contest over such
rates or policies. 1t was necessary TO
| keep posted about all changes made |
I from time to time, all decisions by |
! the interstate commerce commission |
and all laws bearing on rates. Spec
! ialization was necessary, and a traffic |
| bureau manager ought to be law |
yer. or railroad man or shipper Co
operation among shippers was a |
| great need; local organizations |
should be formed in every important |
shipping point and these should be |
affiliated with the National organiza-
: ton Various amendments TO the |
laws We're much needed and efforts
to bring them about were under way.
The suspension of unfair rates until |
they could be looked into by the com.
mission. making carriers responsible
ior erroneous quotations. and the
right of shippers to route freight.
were the three principal amendments
desired. Our waterways were neg.
lected, said Mr.. Lincoln More at.
tention should be given to river
fronts, to improve shipping facilities
Local Conditions.
j. b. Magee, of the Redman- Nagee
Elevator Co. and chairman of tho
Board OF Trade said he could add lit.
lie to what Mr.. Lincoln had said. ey.
cept In SO far as it applied to our
local condition. If we in Cairo waiteJ
Till the waterways were improved IN
give us relief, most of us would not
realize any benefit. Unless the shin.
pers OF Cairo get together II will not
be very long gbefore this city is wiped
OH the map as far as a shlppine
point Changes were being made b.
railroads every day which make il
harder TO Id business I'm Cairo
Through rates We're being lowered On
nay and grain which threatened to
destroy Cairos grain and hay trade
IN the south. If this tendency TO
ward commercial ruin is checked she
Will be largely indebted to Mr.. Lin.
cEln. who. however, is hampered by
the fact that he represents st. Louis.
and that Cairo has made no organized
protest. In all his dealings with rail-
road officials he has found them will. II
ing to be fair, but these officials can
not look after the interests of all II
points when making schedules and Il
they have harmed given points often
Internationally. Cairo shippers need
ed some one TO watch their interests
and file timely and intelligent pro
test when any change is proposed
hat will affect them injuriously. Mr.
Nagee urged all shippers to get to-
sether, organize a local traffic bu-
'eau and join hands with the Ma.
tional association.
Chas. S. Carey, president of the
National Lumber and Woodenware
20. spoke briefly saying that if the
to the interstate COM
merce law referred to by Mr.. Lincoln
had been in effect. Cairo lumber
dealers would have saved a great deal
Of money during the last few months.
and many hundred thousand feet OF
lumber which now remained in the |
woods, would have been handled
here. Mr.. Carey Illustrated some
Of his points by funny stories
which created merriment and
concluded by expressing the hope
hat a meeting would be called with
out delay for the purpose of organ
zing a bureau in Cairo.
Hon. NJ. +. Gilbert spoke Of the
Board of Trade. He said ii was twer-
y years old on Feb. IL. and he refer
red feelingly TO its original board of
directors among whom were Thos.
W. Halliday. H. II. Candee. c. O. Pa
tier. and John Wood all dead. and the
only living members Of that frs,
board IT tbs- 4