OCR Text |
Show "Existing freight rates on fruits and vegetables absorb 32.79 per cent 'of the total sales value, a ratio so high as to threaten proper supply of these essential food commodities." Not only the farmers but the entire en-tire consuming public are interested in and affected by this situation. On the face of it, it appears that the var ation in freight rates on the different commodities is not justified. We recognize that there may be other considerations of which we do not know or at which we can olny guess for only one side of the question is presented. We do realize that the railroads have been having a hard time of it and that they need to be relievevd of the conditions brought about by the late free trade administration. adminis-tration. We realize that they were grossly maladministered by the Administration Ad-ministration during the war. But the Protectionist Administration has done much to remedy these conditions Some have thought that they have had more than their share of governmental gover-nmental relief. We are not particularly enthusiastic enthusiast-ic over the Interstate Commerce Commission, but the case now before be-fore it will give it a chance to show that it is really of some benefit to the country at large. If freight rates on agricultural products pro-ducts are too high, it follows that such fact is not only disadvantag-3ous disadvantag-3ous to the farmers, but that it also .vorks to disadvantage of the consumers, con-sumers, for it adds greatly to the ost of food. We must have food or die. We must have farmers to have tood, and the farmers must have fair treatment or they will cease farming We are not at all unfriendly to the railroads, but we feel that there should be a square deal all round in -he interests of the entire country. ' We have often felt that if the rail-1 rail-1 .oads had been less interefered with ; he country would be far better off. There has been, in some instances, at least, too much regulation by those not answerable directly to the jy those less amendable to the electorate elec-torate than the President and Congress. Con-gress. But there is a golden opportunity to mete out exact justice to all. We do not pretend to say what should be done, but that something ought to be done seems unquestionable. |