Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-10-04
HIGHER RATE ON
WOOL PROTESTED
BY COMMISSION

The Oregon public service commission
In letter sent by Commission Fred
A. Williams to Max Thelan, director of
the federal railroad administration, en-
tiers a vigorous protest against the pro-
posed change in the freight rates. on
wool So far as it effects the Oregon
territory.
'The cost of production of wool has
80 far advanced that many herders and
thousands of sheep owners are selling
their bands and investing in more GER
tain industries. " the letter reads.
"Under all circumstances it has reached
a point where the sheep men have to
practice rigid economy in order to profit
under the present rates and if the rail
road administration adds to the death
throes of this great industry with the
final blow by sudden advance in rates
then extinction is not far off.
"To further endanger the wool stu
alton would be highly unreasonable by
advancing or changing the wool rates. =
he concludes "The wool business should
be encouraged rather than discouraged
for the good of all people generally.
Both the borrower and the lender, the
producer and the consumer are bound to
lose when the rates are disturbed sud
denly, and, therefore, any probable
change or likely change, if found neces-
sary, should be postponed for at least
of bn ouftsi1a
the very minimum one year, until some
readjustment can be made in contem-
plation of such & move"
"All parts of Oregon produce wool,
in the aggregate vast quantities, AMI
use probably not to exceed six to eight
million pounds annually in manufactur.
ing Williams letter states 'There
are about eight woolen mills located
tributary to Portland. In order to facil-
itate the handling of the wool and to
better encourage its production and sale,
a very efficient system has been built
up by those directly interested based up.
on prewar OF normal rates and prac-
tices. Such wool storage warehouses
and facilities for handling same have
been established in Portland, among
cthers the Columbia Basin Wool Ware,
house company and Portland Wool
Warehouse company representing a
large investment with a corps of expert
employees. This first organization rep
resents the growers, dealers, buyers, an.
investors, with effective connections
for the producer reaching as far: east
as western Montana and central Idaho.
A few years ago the antiquated custom
of each buyer going out among the
Fharisces, shepherds and their flocks
was in vogue, and the producers were al
the mercy of the unserupulous and sharp
practices of certain of those individuals
who readily took advantage of the sitd;.
tion. The result was discrimination
against the unlearned and the poor and
needy, and Of itself the chaotic condi-
ton cngcndered prejudices resulting in
highly unsatisfactory state of affairs
to all interested, whether producer o.
manufacturer. Driven to extremes by
such questionable tactics and unsettled
conditions and in order to preserve the
Industry, some of the larger producers
with other interested business men, as
sociated themselves together for the
good of the cause and formed the Co
lumbia B;:sin Wool Warehouse company
among other companies to help, aid and
assist wool growers. In constructing
and forming these companies, they de
pended for the location of their prin
eipal warehouses and business centers
upon the stability of rates and practices
in effect by transportation agencies
and Portland was chosen because of it.
railway and water advantages. The
wollen mills located tributary to Port
land receive their supplies through Port
land from intermediate points because
the wool which they use is produced
there and the rate construction was
formed to some extent in line will
their demands. These factors must b,
taken into consideration to marked
Segree for the reason that the wester,
mills manufacture very little, if any, but
Woolen goods, and use no cotton tt
speak Of
These sheep men will have TO lool
TO these central organizations to finance
them at least another season, if not two
seasons. Had it not been for these WOO
warehouse organizations during the re
cent war when the productions were
comlnandeercd by the United State
government, the army would have beer
Handicapped for woolen blankets O
wooden clothes. The cost of production