The diamond drill., 1921-11-19
WANTS TO EXCUSE HIS SELFISH.
NESS BY SIURRINc OTHERS
OBJECTION MADE IN MEETING
Secretary of Loggers' Association
Protested Against Rate But
Mas Given No Attention

II see that you heard from Mr.
Thompson last week, said Crystal
Falls logger TO the writer last Tues.
dal. Wen. Thompson has To say some.
thing to save his face, What he did
say doesn't change the complexion OF
things q bit. He has just twisted facts
SO as to make them show UP better
Tor him and his co-conspirators
In the deal" our informant continued.
Take his statement about there be-
ing no protest lodged against the
proposed reductions in long haul
rates. That's utterly false. Mr.. Me-
Cabe, secretary OF the loggers associa-
tion, protested but he was given no
consideration at all. 1t was SO evil
dent that the cards were stacked that
he finally desisted in his attempt
after he had been ignored.
Both Thompson and Wells try to
make the people believe that the long
haul rates were advanced out of pro-
portion to the short haul rates. Now
here is what happened. The st. Faul
railroad had a flat per thousand feet
rate from inland points into effect for
years. AT one time the rate from
Crystal Falls TO Menominee was $1.25
per M. Later Il was increased TO $3.50
and stood there when the advance In
all rates was made and the per M.
rate went up to $3.50 per M. At that
time the short hauls were on the
pound basis, The railroad company ~
equalize all around put the long haul
as we'll as the short haul ON the
pound basis and the Menominee con-
Germs were compelled to pay a rate In
proportion to the short haul mills with
the advance made in all hauls in Aug
ust 1920.
1T was then that the lumbermen
living at a distance commenced 70
come north with their mills. With tho
slump in business, the big interests
who owned timber in Ontonagon coun-
ty started out TO get the rates reduced
and to aid them In their work they
enlisted the inland loggers, the under
standing being that all would stand or
fall on the same basis. Mr.. Wells In
his letter, says that II was not intend
ed that the short haul should be re.
duced. Such a decision was kept dis.
cretely away from the inland loggers
They were given to understand that
all would profit alike.
"Now, as to Mr.. -Thompson's state
ment that the little loggers didn't con-
tribute. That is false A number Of the
inland loggers contributed TO the cam-
paign and ALL WE'RE ASKED TO DO
so. When their representative came to
the Crystal Falls meeting he asked
for a donation from every one. Some
of the smallest who had every cent
they had tied UP In logs on Landings
were unable to contribute but many
OF us did do so.
But IL wasn't the money they
wanted so much as the prestige Of our
congressman and representatives. II
was through the representation that
thousands Of men were out Of employ
ment that they succeeded In getting
an advanced hearing and II was the
petition OF the small iobbers all over
the peninsula that brought that move
not any work OF the bay shore loggers.
"Mr. Thompson Is In error when he
says that the rate on short hauls up 10
40 miles is $40 per car. II Is S24 per
or $500 per thousand feet. II costs
just about a dollar more to ship logs
from Ontonagon 20 Menominee than II
does from Fortune Lake 10 Crystal
Falls. II cost SAL TO ship a car con-
taining 10000 feet from Alpha to the
Crystal Falls mil last week. The dis
.nnce was miles.
'Mr. Thompscn's statement that
some OF the short haul shippers i'm
dicated a fearthe Commission wouli
order a readIustment OF rates which
would increase the charges on short
hauls' Is news TO all short haul ship
pers that | have talked with upon
this matter. There was nothing OF the
kind suggested 20 my knowledge and
at the Crystal Falls conference II was
an OF the rates that was talked, not
long haul or short haul
rhat humanitarian talk OF Thomp-
sons IS iaughable. How many OF those
starving men and families will the two
or three big camps that they will put
in Ia Ontonagon county employ? The
thing that will give relief Is to spread
out the woods harvest over the entire
peninsula and put men al work every
wherc7