Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-01
SEND GUILD AND MvANN TO WAR
Commissions Both Men to Mobilize
Their Troops at Once.
ORDERS BIG GUNS TO SAVE TRADE
Views This Attack as Real Menace to
City's Commercial Life.
TINE FOR BOLD, UNITED DEFENSR
II Railroads VIII Not Listen to ReR-
son, Then Commercial Club VIII
Appeal to the Interstate
Commerce COmmisstOn.


The Commercial club OF Omaha has de-
cded to take up the fight against the
railroads which propose TO raise the rate
on dressed ocef from this city to Chicago
and thus discriminate against Omaha in
favor OF Kansas City. This was decided
on at special meeting Of the executive
committee Monday, when line OF action
was mapped out and the officers of the
club authorized to proceed. They were In
structed by some stirring resolutions which
express the sentiment of the club.
BY the first OF these resolutions B ].
McVann, traffic manager of the club was
instructed to get busy at once. He was
told to arrange for meeting Of the legal
and traffic representatives OF the shippers,
stocSmen and live stock interests to de-
eide what means are available from legal
standpoint, or in any other way, to keep
the railroads from putting Omaha off the
commercial map.
The second resolution instructed j. NJ.
Guild, commissioner Of the club, to enlist
the support of the commercial clubs Of
Sioux City, Sioux Falls, as well as other
commercial clubs and newspapers of Me-
braska and South Dakota and Wyoming
and all the country from which Omaha
draws live stock
In the third resolution the club sets
forth the great injustice which will fall
upon Omaha should the railroads put the
rate into effect and expressed the sentl-
ment that the increase is unfair and in
advisable and unjustly dscriminative The
club decided to use its every influence to
secure a withdrawal of the increase, and
II that failed, to prosecute the case before
the Interstate Commerce commission.
Text of Big HesOIutiOn.
The rank injustice Of the move was set
forth in the following resolutions;
Whereas, All Of the railroads leading
eastward from Omaha and South Omaha
have. by agrceTent.' published and filed
schedules advancing FtiTees rates on meat
products from South Omaha to eastern
markets more than 25 per cent in spite Of
the fact that a similar advance has not
been made from Kansas City, thus signify
ing their intention to ignore precedent time
honored custom ana plain principles of
Justice and equity, all of which demand
that the two live stock markets, on account
OF their well known competition in the
purchase OF live stock in a common terri
tory, and the shipments of the finished
product to the same eastern markets, must
enjoy equal freight advantages; and,
Whereas, the present adjustment of
rates on live stock from the great agrcul-
tural section west Of Omaha and South
Omaha is now generally favorable to the
well recognized desire of Fill, Vanderbilt
and Moore lines to compel the shipment OF
all the products of the said country to
Chicago. so that they may get the long
haul and the most money; and,
Blow at the Home Market.
Whereas, the proposed advance in rates
on said meat products from South Omaha
10 eastern markets without q correspond
ing advance from Chicago and Kansas
City to said eastern markets tends to
strengthen the scheme of said railroads and
by the same grace weakens to the farmer
and stock raisers the value OF his homo
market, because shipping live stock means
shrink and consequent loss; and.
Whereas In recognition OF the economic
principle Of saving this loss by converting
the raw material into finished product
near the base Of supply, there has been
created at South Omaha at a cost of many
millions of dollars extensive system OF
plants and equipment, employing thousands
Of people who form a large part OF the
population of this community, and through
the distribution Of their income and by the
large expenditure in our midst for supplies,
building material etc, by the live stock
industry, and in the benefits that come to
every business institution on account OF
the circulation among us Of the proceeds
in the sale Of live stock; and
Injury to the Farmer.
Whereas, the carrying out OF the
principle Of long haul will force to more
distant markets the product OF the great
agricultural and stock-raising section with
which we are so closely allied, and for
which we furnish the natural and logical
market, would result in irreparable injury
and inevitably affect the prosperity Of the
farmer and stock raiser and this oommun-
ity generally so that such a blow aimed
at the chief industry of this community
must be fully recognized,
BE It therefore resolved That this Com
merclal club does hereby express its sentl-
ment that this Increase in rates Is unfair
and lnadvsable and unjustly discriminat
and that our influence shall be used In
every lawful way to attempt to secure tho
withdrawal of said increase by the said
railroads, and failing in this, that we prose-
cute such complaints before the Interstate
Commerce commission and take such pro-,
ceedings in court as may speedily secure
justice to this community and to the farmer
and stock raiser and the reduction OF any
rates which may be found excessive, as
well as the prosecution Of any parties re-
sponsible for same II their acts shall hava
been in any way collusive and contrary
to law"