Arizona republican., 1921-12-17
SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 1T. 1921
An ounce of scare IS aUorth pound Of good advice. Anonymous.
The "Fourth Section" Hearing Today

There will be opened in Phoenix today one of a series Of hearings begun before Interstate Commerce Commission Examiner Disque in Chicago a month ago. the application of the transcontnental roads be relieved of the fourth section long and short haul clause of the interstate railroads desire sharply to cut rates from Chicago and the eastern territory to Pacific terminals and leave unchanged the rates the intermediate territory that is from Denver through the inter- mountain region The to this territory the the rates to the Pacific terminals . What the roads wanting to do is to put in a blanket rate from eastern territory which is now covered by graded rate to Denver whence the rate is the to the Pacific terminals. That would be disastrous the territory of Chicago and cruci flying to the intermediate territory. The effect be illustrated in this way: the present canned goods from the territory which the railroads to blanket is s1-s2 from New York, s15o from Chi cago and s1.17A from Denver. The rate asked for by the railroads is s115. Phoenix takes these respective rates from the points named and those rates would still burden if the application of the roads should be granted tbat is canned goods would be carried past Phoenix from New York to Los An gees for s1.15. Phoenix merchants would still have to pay s1S2. There believe 70 commodities to which the railroads want the proposed rates ap- piled.
 Many. if not most. of these commodities handled by the wholesale merchants of the inter- mediate regon who thus able the terri tory west point nearly midway between Phoenix and Los Angeles; that is to Yuma Under the pro- posed rate. wholesalers would find themselves blanketed a few miles from home They could barely get out of the valley. The commercial growth of all cities the intermediate region would be arrested; it's commercial life would be throttled. We could never have industrial beginning in Phoenx and wherever industry in the intermountain region has obtained foothold it would be stuffed.
 The application was based in the first place the statement that 1t necessary to meet water competition. They said that it essential that they should retain the business which the ships taking from them. Their loud complaint that their existing rates yielded them inadequate revenue had hardly died before they were camoring for this lower hauling traffic the continent for less hauling it half way If the latter business is barely remunerative, how unprofitable must be the business which they trying to wrest from the ships
 Questioned by the examiner at the Chicago hear ing the proposed rate structure one of the railroad representatives said it was based upon a purpose to build up interior centers like Chicago where originating for the railroads could not be diverted to competing ships. That admission prompted Disque to inquire If the railroads find it good business build to develop interior city such as Chicago on end why would it not be 
 such as Spokane and Reno the other end?" The frivolous reply was that these manufacturing but consuming cities
 They like Phoenix, distributing points com peting with coast terminals which the roads to build up by making the intermountain region a "back country" its life blood to be drawn upon for the sustenance of the coast towns.
 This policy of railroads disclosed in the ad- mission is not only unjust but is short sighted. The
 ateIv inn ly more from the development of new country, the encouragement of commerce and industry. and the consequent agriculture and population for the consumption of the products of localities which the roads disposed to favor
 Since the developments in the Chicago hearing and this admission which evoked the examiners in- terrogative comment we have had another utterance on the subject.
 Moved we suppose by these developments Presi- dent Harding in his message to congress on Decem Der 6, said
 "The existing scheme of adjusting freight rate has been favoring the passing points, until industries are centers and repeed from others A great volume of uneconomic and wasteful trans portaon has attended and the cost increased accord ingly The grain milling and meat packing industrie afford ample illustration and the attending concena tion is readily apparent.
 ",rhe menaces in concentration not limited t the retarding influences on agriculture Manfestl the conditions and terms of railway transportatlo
 gbt not to be permitted to increase the undesrabl tendency. We have just pride in our great cities but we shall find greater pride in the nation whic has a larger distribution of its population into tn country where comparatively selfsufficient smalle communities may blend agricultural and manufactur ing interests In hafnnohlous heillu uieSs 'iu good fortune.
 .Such movement contemplates no destructo of things wrought, of investments made or wealth in volyed It only looks to general policy of transpor +a+ion of distributed industry and of highway COT ruction to encourage the spread of our populatio
 and restore the proper balance between city and trv The problem may well have your earnest atter tion"
 We do not believe that with the force of publ opinion which has been aroused against them. u
 ailroa ds can put this iniquitous movement throug supported as it Is by the centers of industry whic . .e already great and those which aspire to grea ness The country will never be content unt