Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-24
Gently Conveyed that
Kicking is Dangerous.
AGENTS ARE BUSY
In Meeting Today the Missouri River
Towns Will Be Heard.
AND COFFEE ALSO GO UP
WhRtver Action Is Taken Must he at
Once, Rs the Advanced Schedule
of Rates Takes Effect in
One week.

When the shippers OF the Missouri river
valley meet at the Omaha Commercial club
today they will find that the railroads
have been on the job since the rate meeting
in Chicago last week.
Evidence of the efforts Of the railroads
to induce shippers TO individually nullify
their action taken in resolutions passed at
the Chicago meeting will be shown at the
meeting. This evidence has come into the
possession of the leaders of the present
movement of the shippers In the form of
correspondence from railway purchasing
agent. In this correspondence the railroads
are good buyers Of goods
At the same time weekly railroad organs
have appeared with long argumentative
articles placing emphasis on the same
statements.
At the meeting today at the Commercial
club, it is expected that all OF the i'm
portant cities the Missouri river from
Kansas City to Sioux City. will be repre-
sented Invitations to those in many other
cities in Nebraska Iowa and to the east
ward have been issued. E. ]. McVann of
the Commercial clubs traffic bureau, has
received acceptance from many of the
shippers, while others who have made no
| reply are probably to be here.
What the action of the meeting will be
l do not know" said Mr. Mcvann. "The
meeting represents a collection of ind-
vduals not an organization"
| The schedule of advanced rates filed with
| the Interstate Commerce commission be-
comes effective one week from the date
OF the Omaha meeting. Action to be taken
will necessarily have to be immediate.
The plans now are to make the meeting
/ open to the press and puplc, as was the
Chicago meeting last week
That meeting was held by the railroad
attorneys with reference to the rate aRita-
ton among the shippers was reported yes
! terday. This was denied by each OF the
Omaha railroad attorneys approached
There was no meeting OF that kind -
said James E, Kelby. general solicitor for
the Burlington. The whole affair is a
tempest In a teapot and the agitation can
not be serious"
Copies of Letters Secured.
Copies of a letter sent out by the rail-
roads to shippers following the hostile
declarations Of the Chicago meeting have
found their way into the possession OF Mr..
McVann. Following is a specimen OF the
letter and enclosed ready made reply
which the receiving shipper is expected to
sign and mail back, or else tell why he
will not:
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Co.
Evansville q Terre Haute Railroad Co.,
Old Coloney building, Chicago, May IS, 1910.
T. j. Powell, Purchasing Agent, Gentle
man: If you feel as we presume you do
that business of the country cannot flour
| ish unless the railroads are able to pur-
! chase freely you will doubtless be willing
TO sign the enclosed and return to me
promptly.
/ If unwilling to sign. please return the
blank to me with statement to that effect
, Yours very truly, T. j. POWELL,
/ Purchasing agent.
4 We recognize the fact that our business
is largely affected by the amount OF ma
/ terial that railways purchase, which il
, now reduced to a minimum and at con.
e sequently minimum prices, because their
e net earnings are and will be reduced BY
$ the great increase in operating cost, and
r 1t is almost impossible on their prospective
earnings to present a good reason for in
vestors to purchase their securities. OF
g make loans. The only way to change till,
e situation Is to increase their earnings. now
e and prospectvely by an advance il
D rates.
e We do not endorse or advocate unrea
Y sonable advances, but we deprecate an,
y movement in opposition TO the proposed
. advances that is based upon a denial O
business reasons puts forth deduction,
that are misleading, Incorrect or unfair
. as has been done. The condition exists
r it must be remeded both In the interes
a of the railroads and ourselves. and jus
e tce, after calm and careful analysis, 4
s all we ask for and It cannot be obtaInet
t by appeals that are born Of general pre-
|, iudice, isolated conditions, or persona
e opinions