The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-06-02
Oh, YES; YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN THIS
CONTINUED from page one.)

average annual expenditure of each
Of the 100000 American families.
According to the summons sent
broadcast among the eastern rail-
roads, the conference was to be
held "for the purpose of ratifying
a proposed increase In rates." Be-
fore it was over, however, the dove
of peace was the only absent sym
bolA
Two railroads refused absolutely
to be bound by an agreement to
the proposed increase, declaring
that it was unwise, in the face of
nationwide agitation against the
high cost of living and the pending
railroad bill in congress. These
railroads were the Canadian Pa
cific and the Grand Trunk, both of
which are owned for the most part
in England and negotiate their
loans independently of Wall street.
To other insurgents" however,
were amenable when ]. Pierpont
Morgan was appealed to by cable
to apply needed pressure. No less
than three cablegrams were sent
to him, and his reply crushed out
all insurgency.
The kickers had it pointed out to
them that Wall street could refuse
loans to shippers who made too
much fuss. 1t was pointed out as
an instance of the success of this
means of silencing restless ship
pers that similar tactics had pre-
vented many manufacturers and
shippers from attending a meeting
at Chicago, called a week before, to
kick on western rate boosts. AS for
the Observation-Disclosures YOU, MR..
READER--he couldn't understand
freight rates, anyhow, and would
never find out what was being
done to him.
How the shippers will receive
this information is problematical.
Delegations from no less than three
organizations of manufacturers
and shippers have been standing
with hat in hand for more than a
month, expecting to be called into
a general rate conference with
eastern railroads.
Assurances We're required from
those who pledged support to the
increase that they would immedi-
ately set their forces to work
checking and adjusting rates. There
was to be no publicity and as soon
as the checking is completed the
notice of increase will be filed with
the interstate commerce commits
sion.
Once the notice Of increase is
filed with the commission the rail-
roads will have won their point,
for a shipper must lose money be-
fore he can prove he has lost it,
and he must be able to prove this
before he can attack an advance
in railroad rates. The one fear of
the railroads Is that enough ship
pers will take heart from the flat
footed refusal of the Grand Trunk
and Canadian Pacific to support the
plan and thus arouse public senti-
ment to the point Of intimidating
congress into passing amendments
to the commerce law that would
play havoc with their plans.
As soon as the railroads realized
that congress might pass some rail-
road legislation they began boost
ing the rates, taking no chances
with the insurgents, even though
the Taft bill was drawn by their
own Mr.. Wickersham.
On Jan. the tide of changes up
ward began to swell. On and after
80 days from that day it cost any
farmer living between st. Louis
and Duluth II per cent more to ship
wool to New York than 1t had the
>>>% . . . . = 80
. OH, YES, YOU PAY. =
. You are interested in =
q freight rates. Everything you q