The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-12-02
DULUTH WANTS
TO BE HEARD
The Milling Situation is . Sore Spot
Why Should Minneapolis Get
All the Favors?

Duluth News Tribune: Minnea poli
millers were about ready to throw II
their hands in 1898. They saw IN,
handwriting on the wall. They saw
their finish. They gnashed their teetl
as they saw their business slipping
away from them into the hands of thu
Duluth-Superior millers.
Today Minneapolis Is a bigger mill
Ing center than 1t was fifteen years
ago. Duluth is not; it is less
On THAT The News Tribune has
touched before, but tilere are some
| further conclusions to be offered.
| the interstate commerce commits
sion decided in substance that Mime
apolfs was entitled to lower rates
from the wheat fields to which ii Law
nearer than Duluth. A schedule was
drawn up by the commission fupos-
ing differences against Duluth all the
way up to Ave cents. But IT was
never wholly put in effect.
For one reason when Milwaukee
and La Crosse read the decision they
said that was beautiful and inst
There Is some territory in Wisconsin
that lay nearer Milwaukee, some that
lay nearer La Crosse than Minneapolis.
They would like lower rates in that
territory. Hum, that was different.
Minneapolis did not press its case ana
compromise was reached.
Under that compromise the rate
from all Red river points to Duluth
and Minneapolis is the same. Grand
Forks is nearer Duluth by a little.
the rates are the same. Fargo is near
er Minneapolis by little, according
ing to the railroad map; the rates
are the same. Southwest of Fargo
it is nearer to Minneapolis and in that
territory there is a differential of two
to four cents against Duluth.
Minneapolis worked the decision for
all it was worth where it was to the
advantage of Minneapolis, was con-
tent with equal terms where the ma
tural advantage lay with Duluth. And
between the two Minneapolis re-
established the milling supremacy
whicn had toppled over in 1892.
Took Neutral Attitude.
1t is only fair to the railroads to
say they took neutral attitude in
that contest. Their rates had rather
favored the Duluth gateway until the
commerce commission ordered re-
adjustment and in carrying that ont
they aimed to please. Minneapolis
used the harder pressure and get more
pleasure out of it than Duluth.
But that was in 1898 Since then
the Great Northern has come straight
down from Grand Forks. The 500
has swung in from the west and is
now laying line from Thief River
Falls. On the theory of the shortest
railroad route, the map has changed:
the schedules need readjusting to be
consistent
Either the differential should be
wiped out in the southern part of this
territory or an equal differential
should be established in the circle
nearer Duluth. Minneapolis has made
the rule work both ways.
If two-thirds of the grain from
these three great grain states came
to Duluth we should guess that the
logical situation was fairly well main
tanned. When a little more than one
third comes to Duluth, 1t is plain that
somebody has been defying logic. Du-
luth does not ask to have the Mime
apolis mills put out of business. Du-
luth does not want 1t all. But Duluth
does maintain that rates should be SO
shaped that traffic should In the main
follow its natural lines and Duluth
contends that such arrangements are
best, not for Duluth alone, but for
all the northwest and therefore for the
railroads themselves.
Situation Is Distorted.
The grain. situation furnishes fewer
grievances than any other branch Of
the traffic, with the possible excep-
tion of coal But there is enough that
is wrong in the grain situation to per-
NIT the Minneapolis mills to be built
up at the expense Of Duluth as a mill
ing center. With development in
proportion, Duluth could have no fault
to find. But when Minneapolis goes
forward and Duluth at the same time
goes backward, it does not need
rate expert to argue that the situation
has been distorted.
= 1t is a, problem to which the rail-
roads are invited to give their best at
tention. Grain and flour rates are SO
delicately established that a difference
of five cents barrel may be the diff
ference between profitable and losing
A little more than
cent bushel may be burden the in
dustry cannot bear. A reckless on
claught on rates might make havoc.
But Duluth may learn lesson from
In 1893 Minneapolis was
for better terms. Minne-
apolis got pretty near what it wanted. |
Almost got more than it wanted. |
Nevertheless there has not been
minute since then that Minneapolis |
was not still clamoring for better |
terms. Grant everything those vora- |
cious millers ask and tomorrow they
would be back for more.
Duluth wants to do little clamor-
ng.
Closing out sale Of jewelry at Mrs.
Great chance to get
Christmas gifts at cost and less be.