The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-22
TRAFFIC BUREAUS
LENGTHY PETITION
TO THE PRESIDENT

Following is the petition setting
forth the desires of the Commercial Club
Traffic bureau on behalf of the bust
ness men and shippers of Salt Lake
City:
To the President OF the United States:
Your petitioners, citizens, business peo-
pie and commercial organizations OF the
.lueh oi ogden. Salt Lake city and Pro-
Eo, IN the state of Utah hOmbly follow
ing thelr privilege under the Constltu-
tion, most respectfully represent that the
city OF Ogden. having d prcsent popua-
ton OF about 10000. the city OF salt
about 100000 and ths city Of Provo, S%,1o'0h haV
Ing n present population OF about TO- 600
psople-the said cities being situated
"lthin an extreme distance OF but eighty
mlles. on the same line. and with large
~ Identical commercial intcrcsts-and In
All constituting the most populous and
commercially important centuT of the vast
portion OF IN" United States IN which
they are situated. are now and for many
years have been subjected 20 the op-
prcssivc. unjust. grossly dlscriminativc
ana unlawful practices Of the railway
companies whose direct lines OF railway,
together with the various other lines con-
Meeting herewith 10 form through lines.
conEOtut" the principal common carrier
service OF tho said cities and state TO
and from the Pacific coast on the west
ana the territory Of the United states
lying beyond the Rocky mountains on the
east To the great dctrimcnt OF the peace
happiness and prosperity uf the people
and tho proper commercial progress and
Industrial development O! the said cities
as wen as OF the state Itself.
That the said oppressive unjust. gross
~ diSCrimtnaiiNc and unlawful practices
Of such railway companies consist OF and
are as follows:
That contrary to tho laws OF the United
states vastly higher rates OF charges for
the transportation OF freight are almost
generally assessed against and collected
from the people OF tho said cities 10 and
fFs NtHl lAgHN N-4lV
river and Denver freight transportation
rate territories on the east. and IN" cities
OF the Paoihc coast iu" west, Tor the
much shorter haul. than arv assessed and
collected for much greater service, or the
much longer haul, performed on To" same
lines and in the same directions Gctwccn
tho cities of the Pacific coast on the
west. and Denver. Missouri river. Mtssis-
Sippi river and Chicago freight transport
tution rate territories on tho east; the
shorter haul being included within the
longer. and the assessment and collection
OF charges being upon like property.
Is Without Warrant
That this long continued oppressive
and d!scrimiuatiyc method OF freight
the warrant OF any competent court or
commission. but II wholly the despotic
act of corporate greed, and under tho or
bitraTy power OF concentrated great
wealth apparently holding itself above the
law 10 Interfere with or govern and ex-
crgis"d against law abiding communities
relatively powcrlgss 20 resist,
That tE" said railway companies un-
lawfully conspiring together establish uni
form and steadily Increasing freight
transportation rates Of charges. together
With oppressive regulations in respect
thereto. with tho effect that competition
between the various lines Is wholly elm
mated and tho said cities held in n state
OF commercial hOndaG" and distress.
That the most important. dominating in
power and HrroEaniy controlling III in
.iiu"ncC of the great railway companies
directly concerned IN the freight trans-
oI enormous and steadily increasing capt
taliZation. tmwcnS" earnings. lavish and
growing In tho amount OF dividend dis
buvsem"nts and With continually extend
ing power IN the transportation affairs
of tho country at large UUul no power
crnmcnt Itself seems iu any degree ca
paNtS OF successfully dealing thCroWlth
IN arv effort 10 reasonably regulate or
control within the law.
That the said cities with numerous
small cities situated within the same dis
trict. through many years Of patient en-
drsVor. and in spite OF their unjustly re-
tardcd growth through the unintcrrupt-
I'd and arbitrary methods OF said rail-
way companies, at this time together
constitute a unit OF population and COM
incrcial magnitude" too great To be longer
treated as OF minor Importance tn the
country. and are justly entitled TO con-
sideratlon reasonably commensurate
herewith.
That IL H. believed 10 be but Just that
protected ia their proper commercial am
bitions. only Involving tho euamnteo ol
their lawful rights IN interstate com.
mcrcc relations. without being subjected
Contiaued IN Pago Two -