The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1932-12-23

Continued from page one)

1T >y
mately zMc per gallon more X
ship a tank car of gasoline from
Mid Continent 10 the Montana eide
OF The state line than IL does II
the North Dakota side Of This in.
aginafy line. Al the hearing We
introduced ample evidence 10 prove
that there is no logical reason,
from the standpoint Of railroad 0p-
GRAFTON, for such an ezhorbifanl
jump in freight rate at a STATE
boundary that is visible only on a
map. If the railroad companies can
Dfofitably haul a car OF gasoline
into Williston, North Dakota a.
rates in effect there II a haul
that same a to Poplar, Montana
just AS profitably on the same per
mile basis. DO they charge you
more per mile for car fare in Mon
tana than they do in North Dakota
on in any other part Of the country?
Certainly not
However, the hearing had scarce
ly begun before We realized that
this was not merely IA problem
having 10 do with transportation
costs, We we're prepared, and did
show to the examiner of the In
terstate Commerce Commission
that the Great Northern Railway
Company would profit more from
increased tonnage over longer mil
were reduced, We showed the ex-
aminer for the Commission that
shipments into northeastern Mon
tana from Mid Continent, which
are now prohibited, would become
"A reality and provide a more prof
liable source of revenue to the
Northern than from the low
er rates On shipments from Wy
and Montana fields, How
ever, from the opposing oil com
panies, which constituted the pre-
pondefanee of the opposition, we
discovered that apparently rail-
road profits of the defending rail
road were Of far less importance
han the profits of the intervening
lil companies.
We attack these rates as being
unreasonable and unfair to every
me OF you who buys "A gallon OF
motor fuel in northeastern Mon
ana, They are being defended as
/ safeguard to the aurcharge that
Montana and Wyoming refineries
been able to demand in this
of the country, We can
understand the position which the
.efinera take, TO have this aplen-
lid northeastern Montana market
brown open TO competition from
he Mid Continent after il has been
heirs for so long would certainly
20 nothing less than depressing
them,
Apparently the examiner, how
,yer. was more interested in
rates than refinery profits
he recently submitted a
ep0rt 10 the Interstate Commerce
Commission recommending drastic
eviaions of the rates in question, !
ie did not recommend all we ask ,
d for, and we are urging the Com
to grant our request in
I'LL, Nevertheless, II the Commits !
ion adopts the examiners report !
a submitted and ii the rates he !
are put into effect II !
will a saving of between .
500, 900 and S400, 900 annually TO {
he uaera OF motor fuels III north !
Montana, II the rates that :
Naminer tiaden proposes are just, !
hen between SS00,0 900 and SA00. 600 7
as been unfairly taken out OF the :
OF You people OF this aeetion !
I the state every year-not TO :
clip the railroads to pay wages "
nd dividends, but TO pay handsome y
ounties to those refineriea whose q
ale 80 located that they "a II
IKE advantage of this protective Q
.
/ believe imam an annual saving -
this amount Of money deserves :
sur serious consideration, / be -
eve that is is sufficient 20 war !.
mt your active interest in our !.
,se. believe that such an annual =
wing will have a direct effect ~
pom the prosperity of northeast =
Il Montana. | believe that such q -
I'M serves a greater and more !,
lportaHt purpose when it repre- ~
.nts a saving to YOU people OF
is territory than it does when it y
presents an unfair addition to y
income OF q few refiaera. Our ~
.se Of reduced freight rates in -
this .esritofy seom tne Mia Con ~
aept is nc, yet won, Ii is yet 60 -
acted ON hy the Cammiaaio ion,
"a the railroads and the oil eeQl-
who have interviewed in cp ;
TO our ease may be eN
,etea to figat to the last ditch,
3ey have r~apa2telly urged the