Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-07-08
THE CREAMRRY RATE TROUBLES

schedule of express rates on cream
and milk. The new rates are lower
than the old rates on short hauls and
higher on long hauls. The old rates
were favorable to the shipment of
cream long distances and operated
to the benefit of the centraliZing
creameries.
The board granted an extensive
hearing in the case and after hear
ing all sides agreed that the small
creameries scattered over the state
were being crushed by the larger
creameries and that the existing ex-
press rates were largely responsible.
1t ordered in the schedule reducing
the rates on short hauls and increas-
ing them on long hauls thereby at
tempting to give the small cream
cries a chance to build up their in
terests again. 1t developed in the
hearing that while ten years ago
there were three hundred cream
cries in Kansas while at the present
time there are but fifty-nine.
The attorneys for the centralizing
creameries, headed by T. F. Doran,
representing the Continental, have
filed with the board an application
for a rehearing in the case. They
want the schedule revised so they
will be given better advantage. q.
C. Sinner, secretary Of the board,
charges that Mr.. Doran threatened
to take the cream rate question into
politics unless the board granted
his demands. In answer to charges
credited by the board to MI. Doran
and in supporting the position OF the
board in the matter Mr.. Shrlner has
made public the following statement:
"While do not think 1t is ordin-
arily wise to answer articles printed
by aggrieved litigants before the
board yet the article recently APP
pearing in a Topeka evening paper,
headed, "A Slap at Kansas New
Creamery Rates are Considered I'm
Just" is SO replete with misstate-
ments of facts and figures as to make
an answer thereto almost imperative.
T know the writer of the article and
believe him to have been honest In
the writing thereof, but he secured
his statement of facts and figures"
from Mr.. T. F. Doran, general at
torney for what is generally known
as "The Creamery Combine" con-
sisting of large centralizing cream
cries located at Kansas City, Topeka,
Beatrice and Denver, between whom
and those of the smaller creameries
of the state there is no community
of interest. Shortly after the max
ing of the order by the board in
the cream rate case Mr.. Doran sub
mitted to the board, through its sec
rotary, the third degree in the form
of a threat to break into print and
thus take the cream rate proposition
into politics If the board did not
grant his demands, since which time
he has seen fit to change his mind
and not await the decision OF the
hoard before administering the work
of said degree.
THE article charges that the
board has put in cream rates which
will return a revenue to the express
companies beyond that asked for by
them. This statement is absolutely
false, as Mr.. Doran himself admitted
in argument before the board that
practically all of the creameries'
with the exception Of the Contin-
entail, haul their cream for an aver
age distance Of less than sixty miles.
and that the Continental Creamery
company handled but 25 per cent
of the cream shipped between sta
tons in Kansas. On the cream haul
of sixty miles or less the rates OF the
board provide a reduction OF 2 per
cent under the Interstate Commerce
commission schedule; this reduction
applying to all of the cream --anuled
by the Continental within that dis
lance and to practically the entire
tonnage Of the remaining cream
cries in the state.
with reference to the application
of the schedule to business OF the
Continental for the year 1908; that
company shipped for distances OF ITO
miles and less 1902 cans, the rates
tor which the Railroad commission
ers' schedule would be under the
Interstate Commerce commission
rates.
For distances over 10 miles and
under 900 miles the Continental
/ - -a+oz Cor which under the