The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-09-19
and Rankin Fighting for
Fairer Freight Rates to Farmers

Taking a stand contrary to that of
the Montana railroad commission end
insisting that the present export
freight rate on wheat from. the Uni
ted States west coast is a benefit to
the farmers of Montana. Governor
Joseph NJ. Dixon, Lestifg,ng at the
interstate commerce commission hear-
.rg in Helena Tn = sday, blended that
tee zone little c rick of hl.e for the
MI tana grain grower" D. not closed
the abrogation IF the cx.'Oic tr".!p
Not only does the export rate afford
a wider market FOR The want of Mon
tsna's land but it gives crlst.unity
ter the building up of a M la cen -
"a the Pacific east which connecting
with the mills of the TwiE cities will
bring better prices for Montana's
wheat, the governor said xhen he WIS
called by Attorney General W. D.
Rankin, who interviewed oi behalf of
the state.
Neither Governor Dixon. nor United
States Senator T. j. Walsh, who was
called next by Mr.. Rankin, Sc -med to
place the same interpretati N upon the
railroad commissions complaint as f.
G. Toomey, counsel for the commission
attempted in the cross-ex. uninations
Mr.. Toomey's contentiol was that
the complaint meant that the export
rate should be applied to all Of Mn
tana instead of only the western part
of the state. Reading of the COM
plant does not make this plea ar-
parent.
Paragraph nine of the complain;
was the bone of contention. The par
agraph reads:
THAT the export rates on wheat
established by certain of the defend.
ant carriers to the north Pacific
coast points, as stated in paragraph
five of this complaint, unjustly dis
criminate against domestic commerce
and + unduly preferential to export
commerce."
Mr.. Toomey consented to Mr.. Ran
kin's calling Governor Dixon befor,
the commission began the introduction
of it's case. The governor went brief
ly into the history of grain growing
in Montana as affected by railroa,
rates. He said for years this re
gion had been penalized by higl
freight, especially in the western 10
calities.
Any reduction in freight will hel
Montana's farmers, the governor saiC
He expressed his willingness to accer
any reduction, whether it be the e.
port rate OF the domestic rate. Whs
the farmers need is a chance to MAI
ket their products at a profit, til
= states chief executive testified.
"As one citizen of the state / war
to enter my protest" said the COVE.
D nor in reference to the prayer Of tt
railroad commission that the expo.
e rate be abolished.
If lowering the freight rates
a point where the farmers could NAL
money and where the prosperity
Montana could be quickly restore
N could be done without involving mu,
y trouble on other questions, the RAJ
roads would do this, in the governor
n opinion.
II The export rate which the whe
g farmers of Montana have received h
been the bargain day offering"
n them in a long time, Governor Dix,
y asserted. He pointed to the ~railroa
Id contention that they can transpo
le freight more cheaply to the coast tn;
If they a east because of the compa
4 les profit by not having to haul emp
cars to the coast. and he declar
ID that if this could be done the whe
", growers should be permitted to rets
IS, the benefit of this condition.
s. Sustaining the complaint of t
state railroad commission mere
rd means favoring the Twin City mile
nd the governor said, already havi
~ pointed out that with competition
lie tablished on the west coast the
nd would be a more beneficial price
lie. the growers of Montana wheat.
ok 1t vas then when Mr.. Toomey beg
IT. his cross-inquiry that the first intin
rs ION came that the commission in
al complaint meant that all Of Monta
he should be given the benefit of the
Is port rate, which is about 7 cents Ii
a., er than the domestic rate. The e
lily ernor said that he would be happy
is. have the export figure extended to
the state.
led Then came Senator Walsh. He S
sh- that a casual reading of the CT
OF plant caused him to think that
Ted repeal of the export rate was sous
I'd A question from the senator brou
the admission from NJ Toaa-.A