Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-18
Traffic Associations and Individual
Manufacturers Unite to Combat
Raise in Rates.
JOHN E. WILDER Is PRESIDENT
Shippers from Many States in Con-
ference in Chicago.
WESTERN MEN WIDE AWAKE
Meeting in Omaha. May 25 Will En-
ioin Proposed Rates.
NO REASON FOR ANY ADVANCE
Speakers Contend that Higher
Charges Are Not Necessary, Be
cause Net Earnings of Rail-
roads Are Growing,
NO REASON FOR ANY ADVANCE

CHICAGO, May 1.-THE concentrated OPP /
position Of l75 big manufacturing compan-
les 10 an advance in railroad rates took
form here today In the permanent organl- !
cation of individual organizations and COM
parifs into big association to fight the
roads The following officers were elected;
President John II. Wilder. Chicago; !
vee-president. Il. +. Spencer, St Louis;
secretary, e. f. Williamson, CINCINNATI.
e. j. McVann. of the Commercial club, |
Omaha announced that western shippers
probably would seek by injunction to pre-
vent the raise in rates scheduled for June
/, from going into effect. meeting to
take final action, he said. will be held at
Omaha on May 25.
Many cities Represented.
Vigorously opposing the proposed ad-
vance In freight rates, which carriers In
official classification territory and western
trunk line territory have decided to
make, shippers from all sections of the
country gathered in conference here today
at one OF the largest meetings of shippers
assembled for years
The conference was called to order By
w. H. Burne, vice president Of the llli-
rOis Manufacturers association, undel
whose auspices the meeting Is being held.
n letter from Martin e. Madden, congress
man from the First district of Illinois, ex-
planning the provisions of the bill amend
ing the Hepburn act, was read. A com
munlcaton from Ohio c. barber. chairman
of the board of directors of the Diamond
Match company urging united action, was
also read.
Among those who addressed the confer
ence were;
XNiItiar, n,fe IIa,,,ia o,unvoI for he
Illinois Manufacturers association; IL. c.
Barlow of the Chicago Association Of Com
merce; e. e, Williamson of the Cincinnati
heceivers and shippers association; C. h.
Gregory OF the Manufacturers and Ship
pers' association of Rockford. ILL.,; o. l..
Bed OF the Crane company, Chicago "A. r.
IGbi 81 Deere &sco. Moline M; w. j.
Evans Of the National Association of I'm
pliment and Vehicle Manufacturers; p. Nj
Hansen OF st. Louis c. l.. Lingo of In
diana Harbor, Ind; F. T. Bentley of CHI
cago and c. r. Bradford of Chicago.
All of the speakers declared the rates on
many articles are already too high and
that the carriers are wrong in their
tention that higher rates are necessary to
meet increased operating expenses,
Address of Mr.. Burne.
In opening the meeting Mr.. Burne de-
clared that the railroads, when their at
tempt to advance rates two years ago was
defeated, promised the Illinois Manufac-
turers' association that in the future ship
pers would be notified before any attempt
at advancing rates swas made. No notice
OF the present advance had been given he
said.
your representatives have received no
request for conference, Notwithstanding it
d vel knnVyn ha dc in off ial
classification territory intend to advance
their rates from to 20 per cent and the
western trunk line roads have already filed
their tariffs for advances as great as 16
per cent" declared the speaker They
have also withdrawn commodity rates and
reached out to grasp the large increased in
their net revenue
The situation which presents itself Is
, unusual. Almost every important shipping
" center between the Rocky mountains and
the Alleghenles is represented here today
and many of those who are not represented
have taken steps to cooperate or unite
with each other in opposing the advances.
For Instance, the Missouri river states
will hold u conference this week to gain
united action on the part of the CONNER
cial and industrial centers along that great
western course, We are in the market TO
buy transportation. The railroads have il
to sell.
situation is Unusual.
''In scanning the history of Industrial
progress or the commercial world can you
find another instance where the man or
men having something to sell assume the
anomalous position OF forcing his custom
ers to meet In convention for the purpose
OF bringing about a united front TO pre-
vent the advance in the price OF the COM
modify? Did you ever know OF a success
full merchant or successful manufac-
turer who was constantly fighting his Gus
toners?
What right have the roads to appeal to
the sympathies of the peopla ~ this country
and make the public believe they have been
generally abused. and that the railroads
are getting the worst of 1t?
Even since the convention two years age
the railroads have put up sympathetic
front and pounded the man to whom they
sell goods into creating an agitation tC
make the public believe the man in the
railroad business was getting the worst
of H.
1t Is largely due to the railroads tha
TINS agitation about the high cost OF lvinl
mas taken place. They have got the public
" worked up 10 point where II believes thai
the railroads are not making any money
depend on Public Opinton.
~ Ay'As TO what legal remedy we have tht
lawyers viii have to guide us but 1 wan
10 assure YOU that there is no result-gette
Ike public opinion. II the people Of thi,
country rise rp and show ther determine
tion to stop the railroads from adding an,
more tax TO their food from adding an,
more tax 20 their clothing, from adding an,
more tax to the things they use. YOU W
have TO appeal TO the courts, or the In
terstate Commerce comisston. or congress
or any state legislative body
There is nothing in this country tina
will straighten the railroads out like publl
q sentiment when Il IL Thoroughly aroused
y bup soEnstimes Il takes volcano 20 arous
4 publis stntiment a"