The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-03-18
FREIGHT
\ RATES
SUPPORTED
BY LOVE

IN an interview given ont last
nlghl by Chairman ! r. Lo9a 0f the
inklGhomp corporation commission he
uph0ds the oklahoma reduction IN
rates from eastern palnis over which
DE Kansas city iohhefs nre siren
ousls fighting
Such rate to Oklahoma Is only
/ lust and fair, and something thai
should have been glven years ago.
he said "Iiefsro discussing he ner.
lls OF the rate itself desire to out.
line the conditions that have existed
IN Oklahoma IN years past and this
( can best be shown hy quoting from
the testimony OF s II. Johnston, au-
! lilor OF the Sc. Louis Southwestern
Railroad company before the inter.
state commerce commission at ST.
Louis, Missouri on February Us. Mr..
Johnston said:
'As N well known. Oklahoma has
been opened for settlement Only with.
/ IN comparatively few number CO
years, Il IS the latest addition 20 The
sistcrhu0d OF states. lls growth IN
the past few years has been rapid
and conditions here. including
freight rate conditions. nave been un.
defg0ing q course OF evolution.
Going back as far as about fifteen
years. since The rates TO the then
sparsely settled country Of Okiaho.
ma, Notwithstanding The circumstance
that Il was intermediate to Texas.
We're even higher than TO the older
settled country represented By the
common point territory in Texas
the first change was to accord 70
Oklahoma, on a limited list OF com
modllies, the same rates as 10 Texas,
inen tte practice became general
Of giving Oklah ma the Texas com
mon point rates as a maximum Snll
later, It became q practice 10 give
Oklahoma rates lower than 10 Texas
common points figuring from 81
Louis 10 which. on the score OF dis.
lance. as we'll as ont Of regard ior
thcr conditions, Oklahoma Is np-
parenty entitled These changes
were made from time 10 lime IA what
may be termed a laphazard manner
Meanwhile. commercial and indus.
trial conditions In OtSlahoma have
grown and prospered. and the people
Of Oklahoma demand recognition IN
that they be accorded on adjustment
OF freight rates IN harmony with
those IT pffeci 10 pslnla IN surround
Ing states With. when they have
grown mp in connection.
For sumc tlap past understand
Kansas City has enjoyed 4 rate on
dry goods from New York ana sen
hoard terrllofY OF Slas nrr 100
pounds OkAhnma main ahhlng
p0mls have iiad rate Of siS0 This
lfalfle has moved VIA Galsesion. and
cars fer Kansas Gus would moyc
rlghi through U&laloma tiiy and
Guthfle ai q rate 0l ig cents per TOO
pounds less than lbe rate applicable
on CIR That stopped al either of
these points Aa stated hy Mr. Iahl
slOn the people ui Oklahoma have
demanded recognition III freight rates
aa Tiny have tired of hanha2ard rate
makIne and II fhe NJ * ana H. Ry
GO eaepk III il rate 0f s5 cents pcr
100 pounds FROM Galveston houston
TO OkiaHoma ptlnls they viii only be-
rccognl1lng ihe lusi demand of the
shipping Interests % Oklahoma"
tnHerslimd thai fain war la now
IN cadel Between rertata sieamsiip
iineafim New York to Galveston. anil
that i ittr ohsiry Nuoda 81 2a enDts
per I'D pounds has been quoted be-.
tween those Two points With thlB
ra'e il he merchants uf Oklahoma
could ship locally lafo Galveston. and
then reahlp their freight to oklahoma
cily. OF Guthrie they would aeeule
through rate Of 1856 lnstend Of the
present rate Of $3.50
Some years ego, he Texas CommlF
sion gfqnied 10 the merchants 0f Tex.
as a maximum rate IN What Is known
aa common point territory, Of 40 cents
per huuQlea pounds, on carload shlp.
menls OF dry goods. notions boots.
shoes etc. from Galveston and Hous.
tom Texas II the present steamship
rate OF 2a cents 70 Galveston plus me
Texas Commission rate Of 40 cents per
100 pounds, could De used by the Ok.
ahoma merchants. II would put the
freight into GAINESVILLE. Texas. al d
rate Of n cents. and II the shippers
y OKLAHOMA could then use the local
tate from Galuavllle. Tex. 10 0kli-
homa CITY. they would secure a
through rate Of Slti
The above figures merely show TIE
disadvantage under which oklahoma
haR laharpd N the past few years.
No one can cenHufe the Kansas
CITY flelch1nts for endeay0flng tn
hold fhe advantage they have had for
years. but such nn endeaxof should not
be carried 10 the point et boyc0tllng
carrier Tor giving 70 the people OF
Oklahoma rate lhat should have been
given years ano Cuudltl0na hiive
chnnged and Kansas CITY must realize
thu Oklahpns 4 On the map and VIM
not longer permit haphazafd rate max.
lug that results III such unjust hiaerlln.
lnasloua With state Cnmmissinus N
lnearly every State. anu the Interstate
Commerce Cpmmis lioh In Washington,
the failFtada realize that lhal ana
equitable rates must be given to All
communities kansaa city probably
occurred fhp advantage over OkIalumn
when faies weFf bnHed On 81. f.onIs,
and the r.d bngUeaf pf water com
petition from NeK Y0fk 10 NaW Or
lleana fhe0ce s 81 I.HHIk nna fhence
/ 10 KHHadH f.II4 uH.f hr4.IaI T1laf rnn