The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-23
SALT LAKES CASE.

printed in The Tribune yesterda,
morning. II is presentation of grea
strength and is placed in way en-
tirely original. II has, it appears, at
tracted the earnest attention of The
President, with every indication tha;
the request of the petition will prompt
| ly be complied with.
The idea is that of Mr. Babcock. com
! missioner of traffic of the Commcrcia ial
! Club s traffic bureau. The case is pre-
| sented according to his formula and
| II differs from the Spokane form of
presenting the case Of that city, in
that it does not go primarily 10 the
Interstate Commerce Commission, but
direct to the President And inasmuch
as the railroads are combining to fight
the Interstate Commerce Commission S
ruling in favor of Spokane. attacking
not only the rulings and authority of
that commission. but the constitution
ality of the law under which il opera ties,
foreshadowing a long legal contest be
fore Spokane can come into the enjoy
ment of the victory it has won from the
Interstate Commerce Commission, the
Salt Lake case is presented direct 10
the President, with a request that ii be
taken up by the Department of Justice
That is, the courts will be appealed to
first, and not after any decision of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, as in
the Spokane case. OF course, the Pres
ldent may not refer the matter to the
Department of Justice, but to the Inter
state Commerce Commission, and the
primary jurisdiction may not be in the
courts; but our hope is that the courts
will first take the case, as they have
done in other railroad complaints. as
the Northern Pacific merger, for in
stance
The advantages Of this, of course,
arc manifest, First, it will save good
deal Of time. Also it brings the hear
ing direct before the courts, instead
of leaving the judicial proceedings for
the last part Of the test Inasmuch as
the courts have the final determination
OF the matter, no matter what the In
terstate Commerce Commission NAV do
or say, the advantage of having the
courts deal with the matter in the first
instance is manifest.
There can be no doubt of the dis.
examinations referred to in the letter
TO the President and in the petition
for relief. The general fact, well known
and notorious. that west bound freight
charges from Chicago and Missouri river
points to this city are largely in OK
cess of the freight charges on the
same goods TO the west coast, is so
well known as fairly to be called no.
torious. In number of cases the
freight charges to this city are as
much as double the like charges when
the goods go thousand miles further
on to the coast: in some cases even more
than double. In like manner, wool and
other products Of the west coast arc
sent to Boston and Philadelphia at far
less charges than the like goods can
be sent from this city to the same
eastern points. All these things, how.
ever, arc made part of Salt Lake s
presentation, and they are made part of
our case, both in general and in lie.
tail.
1t is obvious that this is an unjust
discrimination against this region The
case is placed not only in behalf of
Salt Lake, but in behalf Of Ogden and
Provo as well. This is exactly right
because there is no reason why there
should be any narrow limitation in
the demand for relief and justice.
With fair treatment Salt Lake CITY
would easily build up tremendous Job
bing business here, which would give to
the railroads even more transportation
than they have now. And such rates
would also foster business in every d.
rection, and in the increase the rail
roads would easily reap their full share
of the benefit
Further news Of what is doing in this
matter in Washington will be watched
with the kcenest interest throughout
all this region. If the President, re-
ferrlng the matter to the Attorney
General, finds that a substantial, prima
facie case has been made, and the de-
partment, substantiating the showing,
perhaps, by sending an examiner here
to look into the facts, proceeds thereon
direct in the courts, we do not sec how
there can be doubt about the favorable
result which is legally and judicially
to be expected. And that this relief
should come as speedily as possible goes