The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-07-21
OPPOSE Rate INCREASE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM FOUR
NORTHWEST STATES MEET
Temporary Suspension of New Tariffs
Asked Until Meeting in State
Capital Building

st. Paul, Mimi. - Railroad com.
missioners of lour Northwestern states
met in the office of the Minnesota
railroad and warehouse commission,
st. Paul and decided to call a con.
ference for the purpose of trying to
reach some definite understanding re-
garding grain rates so the interstate
commerce commission will not have
to be asked to investigate the pro-
posed increase of rates. The confer
ence VIII be held July &c at the Min
nesota state capital building.
At the conference the following
were present: Commissioners F. c.
Dakota, Commissioner D.. j. Palmer
and II. S. Ketchum and Secretary D
NJ. Lewis of Iowa, Commissioners w
II. Stutsman. O. F. Anderson and w.
II. Ham and Secretary Thomas Hail
of North Dakota and Commissioner c.
e. Elmouist, Secretary Thomas Yapp
and Rate Clerk A. l.. Finn of Min
neSOta.
The conference was held at the re-
quest Of the South Dakota commits
~sioners. The commissions Of WiscOn-
sin, Missouri and Nebraska, which had
been invited, found that they were
not interested and were not represent
ed!s
Minneapolis Is Affected.
The examinations of the tariffs
which the railroads had filed to go in
to effect Aug. - showed that increases
of from y to 3 cents per 100 pounds
on wheat and fax had been made
from almost every station in North
and South Dakota to the terminals at
Minneapolis, Duluth and Omaha. 1t
was also found that in a great many
cases the increase had been applied to
the rate to Minneapolis, but not to
the Omaha or Duluth rate, and the
Minneapolis grain receivers feared
that it would disturb the present re-
lationS and have a tendency to send
grain to Omaha or Duluth from points
that now ship to Minneapolis. Eighty
per cent of the shipping points in the
Northwest have hitherto had the same
rate to Minneapolis and Duluth, ana
now Duluth will have the advantage in
many cases.
The traffic officials of the roads
having Headquarters in the Twin City
were invited to the conference in the
afternoon, and II. E.. Still, assistant
general freight agent of the Northern
Pacific; J. 7. COnley, assistant gen.
eral freight agent of the st. Paul road.
and w. p. Kenney, assistant traffic
manager of the Great Northern, came
up for the conference. On account of
the short notice they were not pre-,
pared to make a clear presentation of
their case and asked for a postpone,
ment.
Temporary Suspension Asked.
The commissioners decided to send
a telegram to Washington asking the
interstate commerce commission to
suspend the grain rate increases pend.
ing the investigation. At the confer,
ence here July 26 a careful analysis
will have been made Of the increases
and the question will be taken up
with more intelligence.
A few stations in Southwestern Min.
nesota were affected on the rates on
fax, but otherwise it does not affect
Minnesota except as it affects the re
ceivers at the terminals. The rate
increases are all interstate and the
state commission has no power to al
ter them further than to appeal to the
commission at Washington.