Show mob ifer S i should freight rates be reduced at the expense of good service editorial lit in chicago tribune august critti entitled lell ates and commodity prices tho the head of the carnegie institute at pittsburgh told a gathering of farmers that it if the manufacturers of machinery clothing house furnishings and other commodities would reduce prices 2 per cent this would reduce the farmers expenses as much as a 25 per cent reduction in freight rates so would a reduction of 1 per cent la in interest on loans tho the trouble with that proposition Is that the freight rates may be reduced possibly by political pressure commodities and interest not so BO readily but that is a consideration the farmers will ponder ver very y carefully it they look to the future they may be able to force a reduction in freight rates by using their influence upon tho the machinery of regulation but it that reduces the efficiency of transportation the immediate advantage will be swallowed up sooner or later probably sooner regulation unless it is constructive unless in the long run it builds up the railroads is not in the farmers interest As his political leaders do not discuss that much it is up to the farmer to look it up tor for himself just freight rates should be worked tor for but a rate that Is inadequate to the carrier Is not just to the farmer though he may think it Is until he begins to pay the price of inadequate service A railway rate reduction sufficient to enable a shipper to make a substantial saving on a freight bill would if made effective now impair the earning power of every western railroad and threaten the solvy solvency of some all that a railway buys labor coal forest products steel articles etc still range at peak prices and rates cannot safely be lowered until there is a reduction in these costs eighty eight cents of the railway dollar is required for wages fuel supplies taxes and rentals A 10 per cent rate reduction would wipe out all profit and injure the credit of lines which have nothing saved up for a rainy day the government turned the railroads back to their owners in 1920 with an average operating deficit of a month which had been p paid aid from the federal treasury now the railroads have no such recourse the increase in railroad freight rates is less than the increase in other prices in january 1923 the average freight rate of the western railroads was only 36 per cent higher than in 1913 while the average wholesale price of all farm products was 42 per cent higher and the average wholesale price of all commodities 56 per cent higher fluctuations in prices for farm products cannot be laid at the door of the railroad since between june 1922 and june 1923 under the same transportation conditions wheat declined 10 cents a bushel in price and corn improved 19 cents the depressed condition of the tamers and particularly the wheat grower has been of great concern to the railways as well as to the public but happily all signs point to a material improvement the estimated income of the farms of america for 1923 is a billion dollars in excess of their income in 1922 advertisement the capper farm press october 8 9 1923 and the last annual report of the interstate commerce commission says manifestly existing rates are no longer interfering with the free flow of commerce as a whole give the railroads a chance dont lessen their usefulness by impairing their earning power they are spending more than a billion dollars this year not from earnings but of new money to put their properties in condition to better serve the public and to prevent car shortages this because they believe in the inherent fairness of the american people and their willingness to pay what good service is worth starved railroads like starved horses cannot do good work it is axiomatic that compensatory rates kates with good service are far preferable to cheaper rates with poor service constructive suggestions are always welcome C R GRAY omaha nebraska president november 1 1923 UNION Y T PACIFIC SYSTEM PERFECT HEALTH polls pill k keep 1 I the ertem system la in perfect order d R the bowels bowel jd and produce A VIGOROUS BODY A cilin remedy for or sick ick heiche hed che constipation tufts pills 4 FOR THI THE PROGRESS GENUINE BULL DURHAM TOBACCO STANDARD OF THE WORLD 0 K I 1 L L S K A T S and mice inice RAT SNAP the old rel reliable lable rodent destroyer comes canies in cakes no lio mixing with other food your money back it if it falls faila ibo 1 I cake enough tor for pan Pall try I 1 kitchen A or cellar size S cakes for chicken house coops or small buildings 1 5 stze size 5 cakes enough tor for all farm avid and out ont buildings storage buildings or factory buildings sold and guaranteed by it E DAY and JAMES A RELLY KELLY D |