The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-02
EXTRA COST OF
FREIGHT RATES
WAS CONSIDERED
Implement Dealers Hear Ex.
planation Of High Shipping
Charges
DEVILS Lake AND FARGO
ARE SEEKING CONVENTION

Crookston Has Also Entered the Rnce
and the Final Vote Will bc Neces.
sary to Determine the One PASSING
Under the Wire First.
increased attendances marked the
second days session of the North Da.
kota and Northwestern Minnesota I'M
plement Dealers association in Grand
Forks. The morning and AFTERNOON
meetings today were exceptionally
good being filled with very interestine
addresses upon topics that are of great
importance to the implement men.
ohe matter that is becoming very
important Is that of the selection OF
the next place of meeting. Crook
ston which has heretofore been quiet
entered the race actively and is now
pitted against Fargo and Devils Lake
The two North Dakota cities are fight.
ing hard and it will be impossible to
say till the final vote is taken Just
Where the next meeting will be held
lhis proposition will be settled at the
morning session Thursday.
This evenings program promises tc
be exceptionally interesting with the
address by President j. H. Worst o1
the agricultural college as the prin.
clpal speaker. Following the address
there will be luncheon and smoke,
for the visitors and splendid time
is assured. The throwing of slides
illustrating the Dean .Brannon address
Will also be feature of the session
Dean Brannon delivered the address
at the morning session today and the
pictures to be shown will be excep.
tfonally interesting.
The Morning Session
The morning session was opened h,
an address by c. NJ. Springer of Du.
luth on the subject of "Overcharges
and Freight Charges" He spoke as
follows:
II am more than pleased to have
the pleasure of addressing you gentle.
men on subject which is generally
conceded to be more frequently dis
cussed during the last few years than
any other being the subject of rail-
roads. their rates, methods and man.
ner of doing business. AS my subject
only deals with that part known as
"overcharges and freight claims"
Will endeavOr to discuss this as
closely as possible.
| In all the various arguments and
discussions it is seldom if ever, that
any mention is made of the smaller
patron of the great transportation
system as to the retailer, who as !
believe is the corner stone of mo-
only our transportation system, but
for all our commerce, he being the
necessary medium for the distribution
of the product of the manufacturer
This is largely due to the fact that
In the past the retailers have failed
to cooperate in an effort to improve
conditions in the line of transporra.
tfon and rates to the extent that the
manufacturers and jobbers have.
"All freight handled passes through
the hands of the retailer and the
charges paid are assumed by him be.
fore the article finally reaches the
consumer. He should therefore be
just as much interested as the large
shipper.
"You, as implement dealers, are
among the heaviest freight payers in
our great northwest and you are
therefor vitality interested in this
question.
Il wish to state here that it is my
intention to be fair with the railroads
and their agents. and while l do not
approve of all their acts and methods
of dealing with their patrons. l dc
believe that much of the criticism re.
garding them is not merited and
therefore unwarranted. 1t is true that
rate schedules and classifications are
quite complicated but when we con.
slider the immense tonnage now han
died by the railroads, the continued
demand which is made upon them for
increased facilities made necessary
by the rapid development of the coun-
try. together with the frequent chang
cs in legislation affecting public car
riers (all of which they make an ef-
fort to comply With and then con-
slider that they have to depend upon
thousands of subordinates to carry on
the various branches, we should not
expect perfection.
However, am not here in the in
terest of the railroads, but on the
OluCI Hduu W Wy duu olOW yOu
where you can save some money In
transportation charges and increase
the balance on the right side of your
ledger at the end of the year. at least
to some extent.
with increased transportation ia
cilities brought about through the ra-
pid development of the country, con-
ditions from the standpoint Of the
retailer have also changed. There
are now many more towns, therefore
many more retailers in given ter
rit0ry than fifteen years ago and as
consequence competition in every
line of business has become keener.
The business man of today has to
watch every detail of his business and
as the freight you pay is one of the
large items Of expense this should be
given more attention than it is usual
ly given.
yet l believe you will agree with