Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-16
PORTLAND'S HARD PROBLEM

The recent ruling of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission dscontinung competitive water rates on trans
continental traffic hurt all the coast cities but Portland
worst of ALL 1t is of host with their own petard
In order to control trade within certain areas or districts
naturally tributary to these coast cities, the rule was
made that they because the railroads entering them were
in competition with rates. entitled to rates on
the roads that would permit them to do business and meet
such competition In other words the terminal cities
were given rates lower than inland cities which these
roads ra and through which freight consigned to
them had pay the rate to the city to which they were
tributary and the local rate back The rate to Baker City,
for instance from New York the through rate from
New York to Portland plus the local rate from the latter
to Baker City,
1t will be seen that this good business deal for
Portland which got low and secured the business OF
Baker City, This done at the expense OF the Baker
City merchant first and the merchants customers finally
The system levied toll all consumers within certain
radius for the benefit of Portland in this case but it ap
plies every coast city where ocean freghts are landed
The ruling of the interstate commerce commission
spoken of is neXcsabe long as the system is ecog
nzed the correct one. 1t was simply turning OF the
public over to the railroads and inviting them to help
themselves.
If the railroads could haul freight to Portland from
Chicago at given rate while ships were delivering 1t att
that rate and make profit at, why can they not maui
the same freight the route at the price
when the ships quit business? The answer Is they can
The other answer is that the commission deliberately
turned the public to the railroads to do as theyI
pleased with it. and the railroads at proceeded to
do it.
The trouble with Portland is that she is between the
devil of Spokane and the deep blue OF Astoria and
the Sound Her contention is that having river level
and shorter haul she should be entitled to lower rates
than Astoria or the Sound Her reasoning is sound and
under all the laws of fair and equal treatment she should
have preferential rates either of these places.
But suppose her contention is allowed? Will not Thel
Dales Baker City, Spokane and every other city along
the line from Chicago to Portland be entitled to lower
rate than Portand If these interior cities can get their
freight from Chicago cheaper than by purchasing mi
Portland which they could for the reason that they would
have lower freight rate from Chicago than Portland
would have and besides would not have to pay the local
freight rate from Portland top of it. Hence if Port
land wins her contention she will lose unless the inter-
state commerce commission with its great power simply
discrminates in favor of Portland Under the present
arrangement Astoria gets the rates Portland and
is therefore in better position to control ocean shipping
than Portland handicapped with towage and other
charges Portland is surely up against hard proposition
This is from the Oregonans report of Hughes Ia
coma speech: "The antdumping provision of the pend
ing revenue bill was discussed by Mr. Hughes. 1 had
some experience with statutes he Said and that stat
ute works it will be tremendous surprise to me-.
Possibly this law is badly mudded the decision of
the supreme court in the o. c. grant land caSe handed
down while Judge Hughes was a member of the bench
If he understands what himself and colleagues intended
to say that decision is than anyone else who has
read the decision has been able to do.
When Hughes gets back to Portland from his trip
along the Columbia he may realize that he has been
travelling along the rugged edge of tremendous bluff.