East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-11-13
PLAN FLAT RATE
FOR ENTIRE STATE
OREGON TRAFFIC CONGRESS
WILL BE PETITIONED
Baker City Makes Objection to Merger
of Case Filed by That Town With
Others and Is Ovcrruled-Proposcd
Rate Law Next Election.

Salem, Ore, Nov. 1S.-The railroad
commission has announced tnat it has
received a remonstrance from the
Baker Commercial club against the
consolidation of the Baker complaints
against the O.-W. Il. & n. with the
distance tariff investigations covering
the entire state, started at the COM
missions own motion. This remon-
STRANGE added that Baker desired its
own case threshed out and settled one
way or the other November 15. Ba-
kers remonstrance was promptly
overruled.
Another document is being sent to
members OF the traffic congress for
approval by Mr.. Harmon of Baker.
who Is president of the traffic con-
gress organized at Salem several
weeks ago and chairman of the com
mittee named by that congress to In
yestigate and take action to secure
redress of alleged freight rate dis
ordinations. The program proposed
for the congress is to ask the COM
mission for a flat freight rate for the
entire state--an equal rate per mile
in all parts of the state alike. II the
commission refuses to grant this, 1t
is understood that the board created
by the traffic congress or. as 1t nam
ed itself, THE Equitable Freight Rate
League of oregon" will proceed to
initiate a rate law to be placed upon
the election ballots next year.
Just what the relationship between
the two movements to hurry the COM
mission is cannot be positively ascer-
tanned here at this time, but whether
thev are different phases of the same
movement or separate and district, II
Is evident the commission Is to be
forced to take a definite stand on the
rate question in time to permit of ac-
tion through the initiative next elec-
tion.
The Baker Commercial clubs re-
ouest is that the commission fix low
carload commodity rates on large
number OF articles from Portland 10
Baker. The club stated in It's letter
that it considered 1t was entitled 10 d
decision one way or the other anu
threatened to enjoin the commission
from consolidating the complaint with
the general Investigations. various
other similar requests for inVestlga-
,ns of rates in and out of other owns
in the state were similarly thrown
out by the commission. Petitions from
the Portland chamber of commerce
to be allowed to intervene were also
thrown out
I'VE are planning a comprchonsiVe
Investigation of rates which Will cover
all Of these cases" declared Clyde b.
Aitcheson yesterday afternoon. "and
the commission holds that the wider
public Interest must control in order
that it may do justice not only TO ba-
ker, but to every other community
served by the line of railroad under
investigation"
The proposition from President
Harmon and his committee OF the
traffic congress will probably reach
the commission very soon, ana II IL
generally felt that it will be promptly
overruled as has been the other com
plants and requests similar to the one
made by the Baker Commercial clup
as il Is not in line with the program
OF the general investigation mapped
out by the commission on Its own
motion. This action. it is supposed
will be followed promptly by an lhitla-
dive measure being placed in the fielo
providing for equal rates all over the
state. This was the decided sentiment
OF the recent traffic congress. The
only difference of opinion was wheth'
er the initiative bill should be framed
at once or whether the commlssiof
should first be conslted. The latter
and more conservative program was
decided upon after hard fight lee
by Mr.. Harmon of Baker. The com
mittee will be united then on an ini
tiative measure If this request Is turn
ed down by the commission.