The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-07-14

eral movement launched at the meet
ings of the intermediate Rate asso-
citation in Salt Lake City, where lis
state boards, commissions, shippers
and industrial associations were rep
resented. Dennis was there chosen
vice president for Montana and Com
missioner Davis and Darlington were
chosen as members of the executive
committee.
Decreases Both Ways
The proposal that the interstate
commerce commission grant a 20 per
CEN reduction on carload shipments
from the east to Pacific coast points,
without giving the same reduction to
intermountain shippers, brought the
recent meeting at Salt Lake City, at
tended by Dennis and Commissioner
Samuel M. Ross of the state railroad
board. Announcement this week of
another proposal to reduce the rate
on wool shipments from the Pacific
coast to the east, again ignoring the
rights of the interior points, con-
vinces inter-mountain shippers that
they are in a fair way of being caught
in the pinch and be compelled to pay
the expenses of the railroads fight
against the steamships.
Instance of Discrimination
One illustration of the injustice of
the proposed reduction on freight
from the east to Pacific coast points
shows how the move would affect
the intermountain states. Canned
goods now are shipped here from
New York in carload lots at a rate OF
$1.83. The new rates give Seattle
a rate of $1.30 on the same commo-
dity, obviously giving the Seattle job
Der a chance to compete with Mon
tana jobbers on a preferred basis.
This move on the part of the rail
roads, affects every consumer in Mon
tana," Dennis said. cit is, in effect,
a plan to nullify the long and short
haul clause of the rate regulation
act. This clause was the single pro-
lection of interior points against dis
elimination in favor of the coast. 1t
took 20 years fighting to get it. 1t
is in danger of being swept away in
a day.
May Appeal to Congress
Section 4 of the interstate COM
merce commission act provides that
commission shall have the power to
set aside the long and short haul
clause when in their judgment it is
The intermediate Rate
association is making a strong pro-
test to the interstate commerce COM
mission against granting reductions
to the coast unless similar favors are
granted to interior points. If the
commission turns us down we plan
to carry our fight to congress and
try to have section 4 repealed, leav-
ing us the old guarantee of the long
and short haul clause that there
shall never be charged a greater
rate for a shorter distance than is
charged for a longer shipment in the
same direction.
Line Up Whole State
ut is both for the appeal to the
interstate commerce commission and
Tor the further possible appeal to
that we wish to line up the
whole state against this obvious in ,
Justice that is proposed. Farmers
organizations, professional organiza-
ions, civic clubs, chambers of COM
nerce and all citizens generally have {
great interest in this if they will |
,nIy inform themselves of the mean ]
ng of the danger. {
"At the Salt Lake City meeting of
he intermediate Rate association we
ppealed to the interstate commerce 5
commission to have hearings in the
affected, not before exam c
sent out by the commission, but
efore members Of the commission it i
slf. We suggested that the hearings ?
e held in Helena, Boise, Spokane II