Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1924-08-21
ST. LOUIS MEN OPPOSE
RATE DISCRIMINATION


Pacific coast from Chicago, discriml
mating aginst Spokane and the en-
tire intermountain country.
The st. Louis chamber was hos
title to the move and advised tn
, railroads against filing Of the appli
cation now pending before the inter
state commerce commission to re
duce freight rates to the Pacific
coast without corresponding reduc
ton to the Interior
Striking attitudes of the Chicago
and st. Louis business men Is re-
yealed in correspondence secured
from files of railroad officials in an
examination conducted by the inter-
state commerce commission, copies
of which have been received by the
Intermediate Rate association.
The correspondence shows that
representatives Of the Chicago asso-
citation of commerce attended con-
ferences of railroad traffic directs
ors who prepared the pending appli-
cation for what is technically known
as violation of the fourth section OF
he transportation act" The applica-
ton was filed in August, 1928, i'm
mediately after the association had
advised railroad heads that Chicago
shippers would make other arrange
ments" unless prompt action was
taken.
On August 4, 1928, the Chicago
association of commerce sent the
following telegram to traffic Off
Gals of the Union Pacifics, Great
Northern, Northern Pacific, SantaFe
and c. NJ. & st. Paul railways:
please advise why fourth section
application is net filed with COM
mission. After many conferences
with shippers certain commodities
and rates were agreed to on which
relief was found necessary and the
subject has been hanging fire since
February last. If more prompt action
is not taken, shippers will make
other arrangements and will not be
interested. Wire answer.
On the same day the Union Pa
cific wired the Transcontinental
Freight Bureau at Chicago, an or
ganzation of traffic men of trans
continental railroads, as follows:
Chicago association of commerce
complaining bitterly about delay in
filing fourth section application. I'm
derstood it was agreed this applica-
ton should be presented to commits
sion by committee. What is delay
ing that action?"
Replying to the Chicago associa-
ton. executives of the transconti-
mental lines sent the following mes
sage:
Replying to your wire regard
ing filing with commission our
fourth section application on pro-
posed rates from territory Chicago
and west. The outcome of this eff
fort to obtain relief from fourth Sec
ton is Of deep concern to transcon-
tinental lires, and we are anxious to
safeguard each step. Please be as
sured that we are in earnest in the
matter and are proceeding as expe-
ditiously as possible"
R. H. Countiss, chairman of the
transontinental freight bureau, sent
the following telegram on August
6, 1923, to the Union Pacific in
Omaha:
Fourth section application all
ready for presentation to commits
sion, but several lines think should
be personally presented by commit
tee of executives. Understand Santa
Fe and Northern Pacific in cores
pondence with other executives on
this point California lines had or
iginally suggested personal presen.
tation by me, but such personal pre-.
sentation would carry no weight with
commission"
The opposing attitude of the st
Louis chamber of commerce is re.
Elected in letter written Sept. s
1928, month after the pending ap.
plication was filed, by P. w. Coyle
traffic commissioner of the chamber
to an official of the Sana Fe rail.
road. The st. Louis chamber not on,
ly refused to support this last eff
fort of the railroad to establish dis.
criminatory rates, but has been Of
assistance in thefight for the Good
ing bill in congress- which will make
discriminatory rates in the inter
mountain country impossible. When
the Gooding bill was before the sen,
ate in May, both Missouri senators
Seldom P. Spencer of st. Louis
and James A. Reed of Kansas City
voted for it, and Representative
Cleveland A. Newton st. Louis, is