Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-02-21

on the companies for q short haul on
account Of the time consumed in load:
ing, switching and SO on. Then again,
if the rates were q fixed price pei
ton, per mile, regardless Of what the
distance might be, q man shipping OF
receiving from long distances would be
Disseminated against. AS I said be
fore the fixing Of rates is left to the
commission, and they can name any
just rate they see fit. This is the
real object Of the Iowa law. In order
to make myself clearer, will cite the
Iowa rates on hard and soft lumber,
lath and shingles in carload lots for
various points. For five miles, which
is generally known as the initial haul,
the rate is 3.5 cents; for SO miles, 4.9
cents; for 100 miles, 6.3 cents, for
$50 miles, 9.4 cents, for 800 miles, 9.a
cents; for $50 miles, l0.1 cents, for
400 miles 1913 cents, and for 500 miles
14.7 cents.
t'Two years more have rolled around
and we find the demand for a distance
tariff still increasing every day. The
Minneapolis jobbers and manufacturers
have found that they have lost con
siderable business by continuing te
assist the railroads from pulling thei1
chestnuts out of the fire; and from the
position they are taking today they
have apparently concluded that they
have made serious mistake, and that
it is not wise for them to fight the in
Eterests Of the commonwealth and long
er. The st. Poul jobbers appear to be
either slow in catching on or they can
not control the head officers Of the
greater commercial club, as it is called
At any rate we find Mr.. Beck before
us uttering his cries of despair and
attempting to make the best of a for
lorn hope. Last week Mr.. Sheehan Of
the Northwestern railway had the fol
lowing to say before our railroad com
mittee. 'That the railroads are less
interested in the measure than the
people are, that the inevitable effect
of the bill will be to increase rail
road rates in Minnesota. We are no.
asking for higher rates. said he, Fbu
any changes must mean an advance
What Does Bill Provide?
"Let us figure out if we. can JUS
how Mr.. Sheehan could base this con
clusion. In order to find his basis W.
must study the bill. What does it pro
vides It simply provides that the rail
road companies shall not charge high
er rate on given commodity for a Ger
tain distance to one man than to an
other, regardless Of how influential O.
important this man might be. It pro
vides that the man or company locate,
! in one Of the smallest towns Of tn,
state shall receive as low freight rat
as that enjoyed by his rich competito
residing in the big cities. It provide
that there shall be no discriminate,
between persons and localities; that al
have an opportunity to build and man
| ufacture.
"This bill does not name freigh
rates but simply authorizes the rail
road commission to classify freight an
I make reasonable maximum rate. TIL
railroad companies cannot charge
higher rate than that made by the com
mission, but they can lower rates a
they see fit. IF they name lowe
rate into any town or city or to an,
man or set Of men that low rate will b.
the base Of charges to all men and int
all towns on all parts Of their system