The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1926-03-19
West Rots-East Flourishes
BY Present Rail Rates
Continued from First Page)

4
gres a fair deal, no matter how long
it takes
I Senator GoOding did not neglect to
explain to the senate exactly the
kind of campaign that has been and
still is being conducted to accomplish
defeat of the long and short haul bill.
Greatest Effort Against Bill.
"There never has been such an eff
fort on the part of the railroads to
destroy any bill as they are making
against this bill now" he declared,
adding that he did not believe con-
gress would permit selfish interests
to shape national legislation. He ex-
pressed confidence that the senate
would pass the bill, adding that if
the bill can be brought before the
house, it will pass that body also. In
the course Of his main argument,
Senator Gooding said:
"All the friends of this bill are
fighting for are the same rights, the
same privileges and the same oppoT-
tmities for the development of the
resources in their states that have
been given to the states east of Chi
cagO where the violations of the
fOurthsection to destroy water trans
pOrtation have never been permitted.
All we are fighting for is one govern
mental policy in freight rates for all
of the people, regardless of whether
they live in the east or the west the
north or the south.
"All this bill seeks to do is to pre-
vent further destruction of water
80 .oS1
roads forcing the people of the inter
Tor to pay more for the shorter haul
to make up the losses sustained by
the railroads for the longer haul to
destroy water competition. If this
bill is passed, it will give the people
of the interior a chance to develop
their resources, WHICH is impossible
with the present policy Of our govern
ment, for capital will never invest
in any industry in any part Of this
country where it is forced to meet a
discrimination in freight rates, OF
where there is even a threatened
danger of discrimination in freight
rates.
East Gets Fair Treatment.
at requires no argument to prove
that the policy of our government, in
permitting violations of the fourth
; section of the interstate com
Imerce act to destroy water transport
alton east of Chicago, is the righ
governmental policy Fer the won
derful development on the Great
Lakes and on the rivers and canals
east of Chicago tell their own story
and any effort on the part of the in
terstate commerce commission to per
NIT the railroads to impair, in any
way, transportation on the Great
Lakes or on the rivers east of Chi
cagO, would be denounced by the peo-
pie east of Chicago as a crime and
/ an outrage, and yet, the people OF
Chicago are demanding that this gov
= eminent shall continue a policy to-
ward transportation west and south
of Chicago that has destroyed water
transportation.
eff the policy of the interstate
commerce commission is right in moi
permitting destruction of water
transportation east of Chicago, then
it Is right west and south of Chicago
for a governmental policy that devel-
ops one part Of this country through
discriminatory freight rates at the
expense of another is a violation OF
the spirit of the constitution"
Billion Wasted on Waterways.
Speaking of the S1,250,000,00 spent
for river and harbOr improvement
Senator Gooding said: GAS far as the
west and the south are concerned
practically every dollar that has been
spent on our inland rivers has been
rendered useless nv the iptarst Re
= commerce commission permitting the
railroads to charge more for the
short haul than for the longer haul
to destroy water transportation"
Discussing this matter of national
, policy Senator GcOding declared:
cit is clearly the duty of congress
to lay down the principles for the in.
terstate commerce commission ia
follow in their regulation of railroads
) To permit the commission to employ
: its own views, unregulated and un-
restricted In our regulation of oul
railroads, is fraught with grave dang.
er to the government itself; for after
! all the members OF the commission are
! only human, controlled by the same
selfishness that controls all humanity
and such grave responsibilities as the
, principle of transportation to the life
OF this nation, should not be delegat
ed to any body of men, but should bt
laid down in legislation by congress
to guide and direct the commission IL
: the regulation of our railroads.
r Railroads Dominate /. C.. G..
"Ever since the creation of the in
terstate commerce commission many