Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-06

I, OF approximately 16 per cent" con-
tinued Chairman Quincy.
! THE carriers were informed that
| the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion expected this reduction to be-
come at once effective. The order of
| the commission removes from hay
and wheat one-half of the increase
given the railroads in 1920 and on all
other grain fixes the rate at 10 per
; cent less than those Of wheat. The
order further embraces a modification
on grain products which include flour
and some other things. The 1920 in
| crease, 1t may be remembered, was a
80 per cent advance in the Mississippi
Valley and western territory and
So 1-3 advance on commodities NOV
ing across the division line.
AT a recent conference Of the As
ISOLATION of Railroad Executives a 10
per cent reduction was determined in
carload freight rates on all farm
products. and here is what appears
to be. discrimination against New
England and Maine, for this new
freight rate discount of 10 per cent is
operative throughout the entire coun
try except on traffic moving wholly
within or from New England. 1t in
ciudes all commodities, including
potatoes. Mark that.
These new rates are applicable to
carloads of wheat, corn, oats, flour.
citrus fruits, other fresh fruits, pota
toes, other fresh vegetables, dried
fruits, etc, as we'll as cattle, poultry.
eggs. butter, cheese and wool. Int
from the benefit of them, New Eng
land is excluded as to traffic wholly
within or from New England. 1t is
estimated that this voluntary reduce
tlon means a diminution of approx
| mately $55,000000 to the railroads.
but why should Maine, larger in ter
rltory than the rest of New England.
and whose first great product is pota :
toes, be excluded from such benefits :?
The Bangor & Aroostook Railroad,
Tor instance. will not allow such re-
ductlon to the potato growers of
Maine, and this is explained by the
president of that road, if he be quoted
correctly, because the seed potatoes
have been sold under contract and the
freight rates had no important bear
ing, and yet I wonder how many peo-
pie realize that to move the potato
crop of Aroostook county alone would
require 100 cars a day for a period
of eight months. Why should this
enormous production of agriculture
our greatest industry, not share the
benefit of 10 per cent discount, is
what interests us at this time above
all other problems, and problems in
this office are by no means a rare
thing.
Then there are coal and coke
transported from the mines to tide
water and the carrying charges upon
them are matters of unusual moment
to the people of New England. Now
this thing is corollary of the pres
ent proposed discount. Farm products
coming into New England and hence
matter of inter state commerce will
share in the reductions as far as Joint
rates are concerned. In other words,
a farmer in any part of the country
except New England sending his
shipments into New England will get
the benefit of the 10 per cent discount,
while farmer sending from Maine to
any part Of New England or else
where would pay the same old rate.
while the time is limited for ac-
ton, the commission is busily engaged
in studying this problem. We inn
mediately got in touch with the COM
'missioners Of other states asking
them for their cooperation and in
curing what steps they proposed to
take. We have written our members