Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-05-01
PROTEST AGAINST
PROSOSED ADVANCE
IN FREIGHT RATES
Idaho, Oregon and Wash
-ington Unite Efforts to
Fight the Increase Asked
by the Roads.

The states Of Idaho, Oregon and
Washington have combined to enter
strenuous objections to the proposed Is
per cent rate increase petitioned for
by all Of the common carriers. Such
an increase the commissions of these
states hold Would be ruinous to bus
mess in the northwest in a great many
instances and is unjustified. The
public utilities commission Of this
state is in receipt Of communica-
ton from the Minnesota railroad and
warehouse commission announcing
that the interstate commerce commits
sion has notified the railroads asking
given one week to appear and enter
their evidence in support of the Pc
tition, commencing May I.
John w. Graham, a member of the
Idaho commission, went to Portland
the latter part of last week to attend
a Joint conference of the railroad
commissions of the three states of
Idaho, Oregon and Washington to de-
termine what the stand Of these three
commissions would be on the proposed
rate increase. The commissions de-
cided to stand together and fight the
applications. Resolutions were adopt
ed to that effect. Copies of the evil
dence taken at the hearing were re-
ceived at the commissions headquar-
tiers.
WOULD RUIN FRUIT INDUSTRY.
This evidence shows that according
to the testimony of shippers the pro-
posed increase will be very detrimen-
tai to them, particularly to those en-
gagged in the fruit business. This in
dustry is looked upon as ono Of the
most important in the northwest. A
fair sample Of the evidence covering
this subject was given by one of the
witnesses, who said:
I'VE feel that the railroads of the
northwest are just as much dependent
upon the efforts and the labors Of the
shippers and growers located in the
various districts for their inbound and
outbound tonnage as the grower is,
possibly, dependent On the railroad
for the shipping Of it's product The
railroads years ago, asked and in
duced these settlers to come out here
and populate this country and develop
their orchards at a high cost, and
develop land that was then selling
at $50 to 800 per acre until it is now
valued at probably $4,000. If there is
an increase put on these fruit grow
ers that will make 1t necessary for
them to pull out their orchards as one
grower in Walla Walla has said he had
been compelled to pull out portions of
his orchard each year. and we know
Idaho had had a number of orchards
-
think they could produce fruit sue
cessfully at the cost ofp reduction and
this penalty is added on Of approx
mately 6.3S cents to Missouri river,
the growers do not feel the industry
can stand 1t. They believe 1t would
be a calamity to the railroads as well
as to the shippers themselves If it
were imposed"
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The following resolution was
adopted
Resolved, That the shippers present
at this place and date appearing be-
fore the joint commissions Of the three
states, Oregon. Washington and Idaho.
with regard to the possible percent
age advance in transportation rates
covering the products of the north
west, respectfully request the several
commissions to appoint a committee
consisting of one member from each
commission. or otherwise provide for
a committee as they may see fit to
appear before the interstate commerce
commission with the purpose of pro-
tecting the Industries Of the north
west, and the states affected In par
ticular, from any unjustified advance
in freight rates. and
Resolved further, that the shippers
organizations represented here pledge
their support to the several commits
sions and agree to cooperate with