Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-03-19
RANKIN ASLEEP
At SWITCH SAY
RATE CURRIERS'
Railroad Commission
Answers 1t Has Been
Getting Reductions At
torney Rankin Asks.
Special to The Tribune:

| Special to The Tribune:
| Helena. March 1S-in connection
| with a public statement i'll which the
| Montana railroad commission brought
| out that it had long been engaged in
bringing about the very reductions in
freight rates that Attorney General W.
d. Rankin seeks in his complaint filed
with the commission Friday. and that
it already has accomplished much along
| that line. the commission Saturday set
Mr.. Rankins complaint down for hear
ing for Monday, April TO- and such
succeeding days as may be necessary.
Rankin Too Late, Says Board
Accompanying this order was given
out the statement of the commission as
reply to the complaint which fol-
lows:
The board deems it only fair, in view
of the filing of a complaint by the at
torney general against freight rates in
the state. to advise the public. frankly,
Just what the present situation is. The
attorney generals complaint seems to
cover two features: % The attorney
general asks this board to 'forwith in
stitute an appropriate investigation
complement to and in aid of the in
commission to the end that the rights
of Montana shippers ir interstate traf-
fic may be fully protected by appro-
pirate proceedings thereafter to be in
stituted by the above board as com
plainant before the Interstate COM
merce commission This request comes
too late. because the Montana railroad
commission has been party complain
ant before the interstate commerce
commission. in the general rate inves-
tigation now pending since the early
part Of December. 1921 This board
has been represented before the inter
state commerce commission by Hon.
John f.. Benton, one of the foremost
rate attorneys in the Tinted States.
and its case on behalf of Montana ship
pers in interstate traffic has been thor
oughly inquired into, and decision is
expected in the very near future.
Rates Are Reduced
THE second feature Of the attorney
generals complaint takes up the mat !
proposition, and it is on this !
end of the case that most of the COM i
plaint is concerned with. the attorney
general emphasizing in particular the /
rights of the state of Montana as a /
shipper Of commodities. This part of /
the complaint overlooks altogether the /
fact that since August 10. 1920, when
the % per cent freight rate increase
became effective in Montana 40 per
rent and 81 per cent in other sections
of the country. the Montana railroad
has been constantly at
work reducing rates and ironing out
undue local determinations and unfair
preferences.
by way of example. and to mention
only few of the rates reduced at
tention is called to the following:
Fuel wood reduction of % per cent
1nder 1920 rates
Fertilizer: reduction of II per
.ent.
Big Blackfoot branch: reduction o5
Der cent.
''Sand, gravel and crushed stone: re-
luction o5 per cent, larger than any
on road building materials
anywhere else in the United States.
'Lignitc slack: reduction of % per
'ent.
Express rates: denied application OF
American Railway Express company
or 26 per cent advance in rates. i,
Livestock rates: reduction Of 20
Ter cent, both intrastate and inter-
(Continacd ON Fsge Eleyen.) II