The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-05-24
BUSINESSMEN Will
join With VALLEY
IN DEFENSE MOVE
Seek to Retain SIS, 600, 900 AID.
vantage Given to State
Last December
DECISION REACHED MONDAY
IS Attend Meeting Here to Dis.
cuss Western Participa-
ton in Case
DECISION REACHED MONDAY

Seventy-five Missouri Slope and
Red River Valley businessmen met in
Bismarck Monday evening to plan a
campaign in defense of the prevailing
class and commodity freight rata
structure and the $4,000, O00-a-year
advantage 1t gives to North Dakota.
The meeting was arranged at tho
request of 'rate-conscious" men from
Fargo and Grand Forks, who partic-
ipattd for decade in the battle
which resulted in the present freight
scale.
The Red River Valley men, In z
series of similar meetings through.
out the state, are telling North Da-
kota that they need financial aid to
protect the present structure.
The objective of the drive is to pre-
vent reopening of the freight rate
case before the Interstate Commerce.
commission next month.
According to the plan mapped out
by w. P. Chestnut, secretary Of the
Fargo Chamber of Commerce, 10000
will be raised in this state for tho
battle. Two-thirds of this will ba
raised in Grand Forks and Fargo and
the remaining $4,000 will be sought
In the remainder of the state.
Quotas Are Set
The quota in the Bismarck area
will be $1,000 and that in the Man
dan area $1,000, Chestnut said. II.
P. Goddard, secretary Of the Bis
marck Association of Commerce, and
Clifford E. Arnold, secretary of the
Mandan Chamber Of Commerce, in.
dicated that they will call their diYec.
tors together in the near future ia
appoint committees to raise their
respective allotments.
Similar meetings will be held this
week at Dickinson, Williston, Minot.
Devils AXE and Grafton. The FAR
go and Grand Forks delegations left
early Tuesday morning for Dickinson.
Rate experts from the state rail-
road commission, the Fargo Chamber
OF Commerce and the Greater Grand
Forks traffic association explained
now the rates, which became effec.
tive last December after several post
ponements. save North Dakota at
least $5,000,000 a year in freight char
yes. Az the same time, they said,
the revenue Of the western carriers
is increased by $12,000,p0 through
the raising of rates for freight con-
signed to destinations in Minnesota.
Wisconsin and Iowa from
eastern points.
j. E. Davis, president of the Bis
marck Association Of Commerce. pre-
sized at the meeting and ascertained
me opinions of businessmen from va.
rlous localities regarding the rate
structure by calling on their rep
resentatlves at the meeting.
is Speakers Heard
Those who spoke included =. p
Aughnay, assistant traffic expert Of
Inc state railroad board; Neal A. Will
llams, traffic expert Of the Fargo
chamber of Commerce; r. A. Dur.
rant, traffic expert of the Greater
Grand Forks Traffic association: e.
a. Greenwood, state dairy commits.
.ioner; H. G. Schultz, Mandan: O. A.
Amundson. Jamestown; c. w. Me-
oonnell, state railroad commission.
r; G. E. Arnold and E. A. Tostevin.
Mandan; w. H. Magill and ]. A.
PIERCE, Fargo; H. p. Goddard BIS
narck; B. j. Bertel, o. Hegge and
y. F. Dadey, Fargo; and Thomas
8erge. Grand Forks.
North Dakota is not battling tho
railroads, the rate defenders claimed.
Ftather, the state only is defending
Us neWly-acquired "fair" rates, at the
'a1ne time backing structure which
increases the railroads revenue.
BUSINESS men Of the Twin Cities and
duluth, who have thrived on extreme
Y low rates for decades, are the Oh.
'onentS OF the present structure.
The new scale provides lower rates
(Continued on mage twol