The Winslow mail., 1925-07-10
HIGH RAIL TARIFF
WORKS HARDSHIP
ON INTERIOR WEST

''If railroads would develop the
interior west as they have the in
terror east, they would have to
doubIe-track their lines to tide
water to care for the business they
would develop"
This was the assertion of Sen
ator Frank R. Gooding, of Idaho,
in an address at a chamber of
commerce meeting at Spokane,
Wash, recently. Senator Gooding
spent several days in Spokane
while on tour of towns of North
ern Idaho. He recently returned to
his home state after spending the
winter and spring at Washington,
D. C.
'All we want in the west is a
square deal-freight rates without
discrimination There is no reason
why we should not have Pittsburghs
in the west if the government will
give us the same opportunities CIV
en- east of Chicago, where some of
the greatest industrial sections
ever known have been built up.
with our rich soil, our wonder
full climate and our mighty re-
sources, we can build up mighty
industrial empire in the west if we
can be assured Of freight rates that
do not discriminate"
Senator Gooding spoke with
pride of the abundance of raw ma
terials in the west.
"All of the precious metals are
found in the west" he said. eve
have much of the lead and all of
the copper We have all minerals
in abundance, most of the standing
timber left in America, great de-
posits of iron and produce great
quantities of OIL The state of
Utah alone has more coal than all
of Pennsylvania.
"And here in the west we have
more opportunity for development
of hydroelectric power than all
other states combined.
"Yet through discrimination in
freight rates we are forced to ship
our raw material to the east, pay
ing the full measure of freight from
the Pacific coast, although our in
terror country is from 300 to 500
miles nearer the eastern markets.
The same policy of discrimination
makes us pay the full Pacific coast
freight rate on all the manufac-
tured products we ship from the
east. We are always at the peak
of freight rates, going or. coming" F"
The great industrial centers be-
tween Chicago and New York have
been built up because railroads
have not forced the policy of dis
elimination in freight rates upon
that district, Senator GoOding said.
''There have never been any vio-
law of the fourth section of the
transportation act to meet, or rath-
er to destroy, water competition
between Chicago and New York, ,
the senator asserted. Great in
dustrial cities have been built up
there because there has been no
discrimination There is no reason
why we should not have great in
dustrial cities in the west.
"Transcontinental railroads are
standing in their own light. 1t is
to their interest to develop industry
in the interior and so create busi-
ness for themselves. Spokane is
nearer tidewater at Seattle than
Columbus is at New York. The
state of Idaho is nearer tidewater
at Portland than the great state of
Ohio is at New York.
"All we want here in the west is
a square deal-freight rates with
out discrimination. If the rail-
roads will give us that one thing,
they will have to double-track their
lines to tidewater to handle the
business that will come to them out
here"
Senator Gooding was author of
the Gooding bill, which passed the
United States senate year ago by
a vote of 81 to %. The bill would
have strengthened the fourth sec
ton of the transportation act to
make it impossible for railroads to
force discriminatory freight rates
upon the interior Pressure OF
other bills during the short session
of congress, which adjourned
March 4, prevented it's passage in