The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1922-12-15
Is Grain Buyer
Absorbing Gains

<1LliCfih A&i HAOAo VAAA ~ AAAs>A~SS~~
in the following, from three sources,
relative to results accruing from the
Columbia basin rate decision:
A Pendleton special to the Ore
gon journal says: Grain growers and
shippers of this section of the Inland
Empire today expressed themselves
as in favor Of the Columbia basin de-
cision, but were unable to see any
great benefits accruing from it to
them since the lower rate to Portland
over Seattle and Puget Sound has
been in effect.
w. w. Harrah, shipper and grower,
declared that last month the wheat
shipments to Portland were five times
as much as those to Seattle and Ia
coma, and laid this record directly to
the cut in rates for this territory.
By securing Washington and Idaho
wheat, more business is done in Port
land, bigger payrolls created, ex-
pansions demanded and property in
general boosted, he said.
On the other hand, Mr.. Harrah said
that the price basis Of Seattle and
Portland is about the same and that
the lower rate was alone responsible
for the wheat going to Portland mills.
Seattle has lost great deal OF
business through the operation of the
award, he said.
The Portland Angle
When The Journal inaugurated the
Columbia basin rate case it was prl-
marily with the belief that producers
Of the interior should benefit in lower
rates from water grade transport
alton.
The decision Of the interstate COM
merce commission which ordered a
differential of 10 per cent under the
Puget Sound rate in the rates to and
from Portland Vancouver and zone
south of the Snake river that nor
mally produces some 100000 bus
hels of wheat, was accepted as a
victory for the water grade route, for
the growers and for Portland.
But for some time there has beer
mutterings from the interior that
Portland exporters were pocketing the
differential and letting the producers
whistle for their share. Concerning
the situation, Ex-Governor Oswald
West, who was counsel for the In
land Empire Shippers league in the
Columbia basin case, said:
"The whole purpose OF the fight
for lower rates to Portland was to
secure for the Inland Empire shippers
benefits which should have beer
theirs by reason of their favorable
locations in reference to water
grade route. If the benefits which
should have been theirs as a result o.
n favorable decision in the case are
not coming to them but are being
absorbed by the grain buyer thef
the fight is Of no avail. Having
won out over the railroads it Is
quite apparent that the producers
still have another fight on thell
hands and that is to secure fair treat
ment at the hands of the gran
buyers. If it wasn't the policy o.
the board of directors Of the Port
land Chamber Of Commerce TO re-
main neutral on all matters ina
body might be asked to interest II
self. By so doing it would not oni!
help the shippers of the interior ou
take a long step toward further ae
velopment Of the port"
@When the market is dull like tn
present and wheat buying is slow
doubt if interior producers share t
the fullest extent in the advantag
from the differential ordered by tn
interstate commerce commission i
favor of this city," said J. W. Gan
ong Of Kerr-Gifford company, and
recognized authority in the expor
wheat business. "When the marke
is sharp and buying is keenly corr
netitive the differential enables US
bid at an advantage over other point
and the producers get the benefit.
1t should be understood, however
that much of the grain bought
Portland is for export. Seattle, o
the other hand, is milling, not an e
port wheat market. The mills ther
ask certain quality and bid highe
for it, just as our mills bid highe
when quality is in question.
"We, like other grain exporters, r
ceive our information as to graz
prices from Liverpool by cable an
make our offers on this basis alway
desiring to allow reasonable prof
for ourselves"
Walla Walla View
Growers in the Walla Walla vale
!, have not benefited by the Columbl
, basin freight rate decision, accordin
to statements of grain agents ar
|. nrnduee men there. These are U