Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-22
Boise Commercial
Club Activities ~
By W. D.
FISHER.
Secretary

CARNATIONS are bringing this matter
before the people. Public opinion is
strong factor. In the main the bill
provides that it will be unlawful to
charge more for shorter than for a
longer haul. This is the identical legis-
lation needed to give Idaho the COM
mercial footing to which it is entitled.
The following letter has been sent to
every city and hamlet in the state
that can pridefully admit they have a
commercial club or chamber Of com
merce.
1.-The, Boise Commercial club for and
in behalf of the state of Idaho are
lending all assistance possible for the
passage of the Poindextep long and
short haul bill CA copy herewith en-
closed) The bill is itself explanatory
and little need be said to confirm its
merits.
"The interior west has suffered
gross discrimination for quarter of
a century at cost that cannot be
measured. Its growth has been re-
tarded. The commerce and industrial
enterprises that rightfully belong to
1t have been concentrated in the Pa
cific coast ports because discrimina-
tory and preferential freight rates have
been given to the coast cities, present.
ed to them, as it were, on a silver plat
ter. The present system of rate max
ing was devised ats a time when it was
the policy of the carriers to charge
what the traffic would bear. The
railway says: Work me In some way
to my full capacity. / desire all the
traffic l can get at as high a price
as can be obtained. When have done
that, 1 shall get more work at the
next best price. i then have plenty
of strength left in me, therefore, give
me freight that will pay merely the
cost of my keeping. My function is
to carry and l must fulfill my mis-
sion.'
This is the principle recognized in
constructing rates from the east to
Pacific coast and interior cities, which
has brought about the undue and I'M
just preference which we must de-
mand at this time be removed. That
ancient policy of what the traffic will
bear is destructive to the unfavored
communities and in contravention of
the intent of the act to regulate COM
merce. The carriers claim that in
order to successfully compete with the
ocean trade they must make their
rates equivalent to those of their
ocean friends, and with full intent to
drive the ships off the ocean and
thereby obtain monopoly.
1T Is reasonably certain that where
a rate is made that does not pay its
full share on the railways investment,
tIa kt,rl t.
to make UP the deficit. 1t lie under
such conditions the intermountain
territory has suffered in the past. The
time has come when this burdensome
tax thrust upon the intermountain
states should be eliminated. There
has always been an insistent assertion
made by the railroads that 1t was nee
essary to make extraordinary high
rates to interior points because Of the
light tonnage compared to that of the
coast. It was hard to believe that this
was as controlling as the carriers al
legged and 1t was surely an agreeable
surprise to find from report rem
dered by the railroads to the inter-
state commerce commission, that for
every pound of freight from the east
to the coast during 1916 there were
two pounds consigned to the interior.
ITO equip an average farm in Idaho
with the necessary farm implements
1t costs $45 more than on the Pacific
coast. There are over 10000 farms in
this state.
THE furnishings for six-room
modern house will cost the Idaho
builder $40 in excess of the cost to
the Portland builder. How many such
homes in your community?
The Boise street car companies had
to pay to the railroad $4,000 in
freight charges on their steel rails
more than they would have had to
pay In a similar investment on the Pa
cific coast.
Food products, clothing, in fact
nearly all commodities used, are af-
fected in a like manner"
Can a condition be justified by any
argument wherein the agriculturist in
the states of Washington. Oregon 'or
California are permitted to get their
tools and implements out at less cost
than the farmer of Idaho. when the
law provides that the railroads are
not to make rates that discriminate
between persons or localities. Does
not this situation add burden to the
producer? Can the farmer In Idaho
get Q better price for his products In |
the eastern markets to offset this tax
than the farmer situated on the Pa
cific coast? The answer lie in the |
negative. 1t IL because OF such con-
ditions that the Poindexter bill Is
made necessary and it, merits cannot
be doubted.