East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-11-04
WHERE DOES PORTLAND STAND NOW?

his address here yesterday Mr. Ford discussed situation of
the most extreme Importance to the whole ntermountain
country The attempt of the railroads. prompted by the
coast cities to give the coast terminals privileged rates at the
expense of the interior that Eastern Oregon along
with the other portions of the nteountan region cannot af
ford overlook That should not succeed because is an
attempt at injustice and favortsm 1t will not succeed
the interstate commerce commission stands by the principle n
has upheld in the past
The amazing thing about this business that should be
considered for moment 1t especially prepoerous that
Portland should have hand in such chcaner Portland has
just gotten through with victorious rate fight in which its
whole contention based the principle that cost of service
should govern rates The interstate commerce commission ruled
in favor of the Portland contention.
But spite of that decision the railroads calmly asking
that this principle be thrown the winds and that much higher
rates be charged interior points than charged for the longer
haul from the east to Portland On freight from the east we are
nquestionaby entitled lower rates than Portland Yet the
Countess application granted will force Pendeton rates
that will be approximately so per cent higher than the rate to
Pendeton The same fate will be in store with even greater
intensity for points farther east in Idaho Montana Wyoming
and Utah because of the back haul charge to points I'M
those states.
It an insult to intelligence that the ntermountan country
should have make the fight it wagg The Countess
application contrary past rulings it contrary to every
consideration of justice and fair play The plea the railroads
should be allowed make low rates to coast points order to
kill off water competition is unsound If water TRANSFORMATION
excel rail transportation in fair fight then should be al
lowed to do So Amercanm and unsound economics
to kill off such competition by unfair rate structure Amer
needs shipping and should foster not cripple
1t omnous Just that the American flag dsap
pearg again from the and that be-
ing carried in japanese vessels The interior has particular
for objection because asked to for the slaughter
In other words the Countess proposal means in effect that the in
rates while the coast cities reap the benefits of sacrifice and
the railroads eliminate water competition The Countess app-
cation that every resident of the interior country shall be
penalzed unfairly and defiance of all reason No should
be deceived into thinking the subject is of interest
or obbers only Merchants do not freight bills Their
toners do and every farmer and every home e
terror will pay toll if the coast cities victorious this sug
gle.
When the Columbia basin rate Portland newspa
pers filled with arguments exploiting the doctrine of
based upon the cost of haul Portland business organizations
expended thousands of dollars in that fight Is Portland now
protesting against the deny the interior region the
benefits of location much discussed by Portland wear
two 1t poor rule that does not work ways But
who has noticed any vehement protests from metropolis
against this fragrant proposal to nure Eastern Oregon for
Porands benefit Where those arguments about
just rate structure and the larceny involved when more is
charged for short haul than for long haul? Does Portland
believe the sacred rate principle only when has an AK to
grind is 1T opposed when Eastern Oregon asks the same brand
of Justice Portland asked for itself This evidently the case
and is not the case Portland will at join the ntermoun
tain country in protest against the monstrosy known as Coun-
tess application No 49, The issue squarey drawn and it
Principle Pnder 1t time for Eastern Oregon people
to do thinking and to ascertain who friend and who is
foe