The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-08
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Pacific Steamship Go. Tho only com petition they have is that afforded by the Grand Trunk Pacific Canadian Railway, the terminal of which is at Prince Rupert. and the Canadian Pacific, with terminal at Vancou- yer, and the Canadian steamship lines.
 MT. Johnson of Washington-WilI the gentleman yield?
 Mr Grigsby-Yes.
 Mir Johnson of Washington-Prin Rupert is Government subsidized town with the few in it paid by the Canadian Government.
 Mr Grigsby-This amendment is an attempt to suzsidize the Alaska and Pacific steamship companies, and It should be defeated. I am not an enemy of any home industry, whe ther a railroad industry or steam ship industry. but l am against a monopoly. Pass this amendment and we are at the mercy of these com panies. .
 If it is necessary and advisable to enact legislation to protect American steamship lines and American rail. ways, it should be done in some oth- CT way than at the expense of the shippers and travelling public of tho Territory of Alaska.
 Mir. Johnson of Washingtcn-Will the gentleman yield?
 MT. Grigsby-Yes.
 MT. Johnson of Washington-Doe not the gentleman realize that water transportation is taken in; that it ia under the Interstate Commerce Com mission and under the control of this bill. The commission has been fair to the United States and will be fair to the Territory of Alaska.
 MT. Grigsby-Up to this time and since it's creation, the Shipping Board has had the power to conrol water transportation rates to and from Alas ka. The Interstate n Commerce Com mission has controlled the fixing ci rates where the transportation Is partly by rail and partly by water Under this amendment, if rates arg fixed or established by the Interstate Commerce Commission between Alas | ka and points in the United States, il will be unlawful for the Canadian lines to fix lower rates to the same points in the United States; that F 10 say. it will be unlawful for any | United States carrier by rcil or wa l ter to participate in any continuous transportation of passengers or prop crty from any place in Alaska throu%f Canada to any other place in th' United Statess at lower rate thar the rate fixed by the Interstate Com merce Commission for American car riers between the same points. If through rate is established for Ameri can lines from Juneau or Ketchikan Alaska, to Chicago by the way o Seattle, the Grand Trunk Pacifi through the haul is two or thre' days shorter and naturally cheaper will be compelled to charge as high rate. In other words, the people 0 Alaska would be deprived Of th' benefits of the short haul to the ea3 I-that is, of the lower rate. Th' penalty is on the people of Alaska What they need is the lowest possl ble transportation rates. Transpor tation charges have advanced Ire mendously within the past few years iThey are now 80 high as to practic 1 ally prohibit new development.
 The last Legislature of the Terrl tory of Alaska, as remedy for thi condition, appropriated $30O.OO0 to the purpose of chartering ships iron the Shipping Board in order to ge I away from the destructive rates 0 the Alaska and Pacific steamship companies to still further advance the rates by prohibition agains any lower rate over the foreign line than the domestic lines are allowc' to establish. As between the peopl of Alaska and the steamship com
 panies engaged in Alaska commerce this House should favor the peop! of Alaska by defeating this amend ment.
 The Chairman-The time of tn
 gentleman from Alaska has expired
 all time has expired. The question
 on the amendment of the gentlema
 from Washington.
 The question was taken. and h
 amendment was rejected.
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