46 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



the railroads by the manufacturers of the eastern states to induce them 

 to keep the rate favorable for the shipment of eastern articles to that 

 region. It was not a matter of purely selfish interest on the part of the 

 railroads alone ; whatever selfish interest in the matter they may have had 

 was greatly reinforced by a similar interest on the part of the eastern 

 manufacturers. This is made vividly apparent by the testimony of 

 Mr. Daniels who was at that time the official charged with the adminis- 

 tration of the Colorado pool. Repeatedly during 1884, and even as late 

 as the month of January, 1885, the railroads were requested by manu- 

 facturers in the East to lower the rates on manufactured goods shipped 

 to the Rocky Mountain region. The reasons stated in these petitions 

 were that the eastern dealers and manufacturers were losing trade in 

 Colorado on account of the growth of manufactures there. The pool 

 commissioner, Mr. Daniels, said the roads refused to do this as they 

 felt that in the end reasonable protection to the manufacturers of Colo- 

 rado would increase the profits of those engaged in the transportation 

 business. 



On January 4, 1885, a meeting of the general freight classification 

 committee was held in St. Louis. At this meeting a number of con- 

 cessions were made to Colorado manufacturers. Wagon wood was 

 reduced from class A to class B so as to promote the manufacture 

 of wagons in Colorado. Iron bridge material which had been for 

 some years in class B was advanced to class A. This was protecting 

 the Colorado iron manufacturer. A petition from important shippers 

 was presented to the classification meeting asking for a reduction of 

 the freight rate on soap from the East to Colorado, and stating that 

 soap was being made in that state. The Colorado roads protested against 

 any reduction in this rate and the rate was not changed. A similar 

 petition was presented from the manufacturers of matches asking for 

 a reduction in the carload rate to Colorado and stating that matches 

 were being made in the state, and in consequence, the market for east- 

 erners was being destroyed. This request was also opposed by the 

 Colorado railroads and the rate was not changed. 1 



It was also shown by Mr. Daniels that the railroads, in August, 



1 Evidence, Special Railroad Committee, pp. 265, 266. 



