Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-09-12
Omaha to Speak
at Wool Hearing,
Says Mr., Guild
Commissioner, Back from Chicago,
Says More Inquiries Are to
Be Conducted.

Omaha's side of the wool rate con-
troversy will be heard by the Interstate
Commerce commission, according to John
M. Guild, commissioner of the Commercial
club, who returned yesterday from Chi
cago, where he attended a partial hearing
Of the commission on the wool rate cases.
THE hearing was the elimination Of
several complaints filed by various organi-
zations," said Mr.. Guild. 1.-THE main issue
was brought about by the National Wool
Growers association. Others complaining
were the railway commission of Oregon
the National Mohair Growers association
and the National Tanners association.
The attendance consisted mainly Of rail-
road representatives, who are the de-
PENDANTS in the case, although initiated by
the commission along lines of general in
quiry into every phase of the transporta-
ton Of these articles. Officers and repre-
sentatives of the National Wool Growers
association were present. j. E. Cosgriff
OF Rawlins, Wyo., appeared as head of
the National Wool Warehouse and Storage
company
This is the company organized by the
wool growers to handle their own wool by
storing and marketing it themselves and
which finds a change in rates and transit
privileges necessary to its successful
continuance. Wool rates are now based on
Mississippi river and do not break on Chi
cago. While the Omaha Wool Warehouse
and Storage company and the Omaha wool
market generally should have local rates
to Omaha and low rate beyond, the ag-
gregate to amount to no more than the
Mississippi combination, the situation at
Omaha is not nearly as bad as Chicago,
for the reason Omaha has transit priv
ilege on the Mississippi river rate now.
But in the opening up Of such a big
proposition as all western wool rates and
practices there is no telling what decision
the commission might come to. Instead
Of 100000 pounds of wool year being
handled at Omaha, there should pass
through the Omaha warehouse not less
than 100000. Commissioner Prouty, who
sat in Chicago, directed the wool inter
ests as principals to give testimony bear
ing on the following five points:
'O Proof of unTeasonableness of present
rates from the west to ultimate market
and II a general reduction Is imperative
how much It should be.
rates should be graded according to
distance or be of a blanket nature, each
blanket aI1S =, rate covering producing section.
lower rate for the higher and higher
rate for the lower, and what the spread
In rate and weight should he.
90 Whether or not the continuance of
the present practice of basing on Missis-
sippi river would be acceptable with transit
privileges at other proper points and II SO
what these transit privileges should be.
90 The application of the long and short
haul clause as embraced in the fourth sec
ton of the law.
Needless to say Chicago was in strong
attendance. There were representatives
there also from St. Louis, Milwaukee, the
Twin cities, Detroit and Omaha Further
hearings are set for Phoenix. Ariz., Denver,
Colo, Salt Lake City, Utah Portland Ore,
an Albuquerque N. NJ, with probability of
another sitting in Chicago. at which time
Omaha will present its case. based on what
the wool growers want and the position
announced by Commissioner Prouty."