The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-02-12
ANNE TALKS LONG
AND SHORT HAUL

To the Editor of the Gazette: Ne
vada papers which have reached me
lately, report Senator Henderson's
promise, on his recent visit to the
state, to make a fight for the people
of Nevada. The promised fight was
to be for the elimination of the long
and short haul freight rates, which
railroads have exacted from Nevada
shippers from time immemorial. AS
the Gazette has shown, this charge
has prevented our town from becom-
ing a wholesale distributing point
has held back the developments of
mines, manufacturers and farms, and
has greatly increased the cost of liv-
ing for every man, woman and child
In the state.
I was pleased when l read OF Sem
ator Henderson's determination to
fight for us, because as a child I had
heard my father discuss this wrong
For many years he paid thousands of
dollars In annual tribute to the rail-
roads. To use his illustration, the in
justice and bad economies are mani
fest, of charging for freight hauled
from Chicago to Reno the whole
through rate from Chicago to San
Francisco, and the local rate back
from San Francisco to Reno. Even
though recently modified, these dis
criminatory charges have retarded
the commercial. industrial and agri-
cultural development of the inter-
mountain states. prevented the de-
velopment OF cheap water competi-
ton. and levied tribute to the rail-
roads from the people for everything
they eat. drink. wear, or use. that is
carried on railroads. 1t has operated
automatically. In fact, to raise the
price Of everything. carried by the
railroads or not. above the cost of the
same commodities in Washington,
New York, San Francisco or Los
Angeles.
The senate has been considering for
some time the Cummins railroad bill
to restore the railroads to private
management ian immigration mea-
sure in all its features). Senator Hen
derson. on his return to Washington
from Nevada the other day, prepared
for battle by offering ar amendment
the merits of which I shall not dis
cuss. but which touched upon the
long and short haul grievance.
And here we come to Senator Hen
derson's promised fight" The event
took place in the senate on Deem
Der 10. and Is faithfully reported in
the congressional record of that date.
Hostilities lasted just foul minutes
He fred his opening gun by declaring,
"Mr. President. this amendment is not
proposed with any hostility to the
railroad roads," He followed this
which helped put him in the senate by
a scathing rebuke to the Coast job
bers who, he said, were very selfish
and more to blame for unjust rates
than the railroads. and ended his on
slaught for the rights OF the people
Of Nevada by this broadside: Il shall
not take up the further time of the
senate in discussing this matter" Fol-
lowing this hot battle. what happened
to the rate amendment? 1t was de
featsd by a tie vote.
Senator Henderson then unflinch-
ingly announced his unalterable de
termination to fight once more for the
rights Of the people as embodied IL
his lost amendment. Again he wen
into battle. as set forth on page 81
Of the congressional record. : II
opened his second engagement agains
the railroads and for the people o.
Nevada by getting On his feet and
urging" the senator's to adopt his
amendment. and in just seventeen
seconds sat down once more, saying
II I'm not going to take up any tim
Of the senate. but I ask for the yeas
and nays" The result Of the vote was
yeas. 20 nays SO. not voting 35-