The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-11-25
SLASH IN HAY AND
GRAIN RATE,ORDER
/. C. G. Demand Is Made
On the Railroads
DECEMBER II IS DATE
Sixteen Per Cent Decrease In
Charges Edict Federal
Commission
Associated Press Dispatch

t<NSSoStotSN
Washington. D. c.. November GA
positive order was issued ny the In
terstate commerce commission today
requiring railroads to put the approx
mately sixteen per cent decrease in
hay and grain rates into effect on or
before next December u.
The order follows UP the decision
given out October 20 by thu commits.
sion which declared grain and hay
rates from the Mississippi valley to
the Pacific coast unreasonably high,
but which did not carry compulsory
orders. The October decision instruo-
ted the railroads to make the reduction
by November 20. which, was not done
because railroad opene9~ negotiations
with the commission suggesting that
. ten per cent decrease in freight rates
on all agricultural products be sub
situted for the larger decrease on
grain products and hay alone. The
commission, however, by the order IL.
sued today disregardsd the compro-
mise proposed by the railroads and
makes the larger decreases on hay
Makes Specific Reductions
The order issued today made spsoiA
fc and definite the hay and grain re.
auctions. The original decision said
railroads should reduce the rates on
the products concerned by one half OF
the increase given in 1920. The coin.
mission today ordered hay and grain
rates between points In mountain Pa
cifc territory at not more tnan 12.b
ahnvn IN nc n on
fore the 1920 increase. Between points
in the western group as defined In its
decision where forty per cent increas-
es were allowed in 1920 the commits.
sion today ordered them made effec.
tive at 20 per cent; between other
western group points the commission
held rates shall not exceed IT'S per
cent above the old schedules and be-
tween points in the mountain Pacific
the Increase above old 1920 schedules
shall ,be held to Is 2-3 per cent.
The Effect Of the Order
The effect Of the order thus is to
make specific the percentages of re-
duction In the territory concluded
The commission also reiterated it,
decision requiring the roads to fix
rates for coarse grain such as corn at
ten per cent less than the rates on
in the order includes territory be-
tween the Mississippi and Illinois RI
yers and the north and south boun-
dairy line on which the states OF NORTH
Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, Wy
oming and Nebraska Join, and extend.
ing south to Ell Paso, Texas. The
mountain Pacific group les between
the western group, and the Pacific
coast.
Action OF Minnesota Body
st. Paul. November 21.-The Mime
sofa railroad and warehouse con-
mission will insist that any benefits
OF reduced rates for interstate bust
ness be passed on to within the state
traffic, Chairman o. p. b. Jacobson,
and Commissioner Fred Putnam, said
at noon today, when informed that the
interstate commerce commission had
issued q positive order that the Is
to Is per cent reduction on hay and
grain rates must be put into effect by
the railroads by December ~, 1921.
Mr.. Jacobson said that today's hear
ing on the order to show cause OIL
cially plae es the rate reduction matter
before the state commission so that
1t can act.
Railways Will, Reduce Rates
UNITED Press Dispatca1
st. Paul, November 21.--Minnesota
railways are willing to reduce freight
rates ten percent on all farm prod
ucts, representatives Of the roads so
informed the State Railway and
Warehouse commission today. This
move is taken to meet the reduction
Of Is per cent on freight rates on all
hay and grain and recently ordered
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. The roads will ask for q re-
hearing on the question Of rates and
will substitute an OFFER OF ten per.
cent reduction on all farm products
instead OF the fifteen per cent cut
on hay and grain rates.