Show FREIGHT RATES I 1 the chicago tribune la Is opposed to higher railroad rates and supports its position with this reasoning tile the demand for freight cars ls a fair gauge of railroad prosperity last year there was a persistent outcry from shippers for more cars efforts were made in several states to pass law laws imP imposing fines on roads that did not supply cars care with reasonable promptness the estimated shortage of cars ast september was about and the roads strove in vain to handle the business pressed upon them the panic speedily changed the shortage into a surplus two months ago there were idle cars june 10 there were but juna 24 the date of the last report there were this to Is evi evidence denize that railroad business nees and earnings are improving gm gradually dually in advance of 0 the opening of the crop moving season geason when that shall arrive there will be need eed for many more of the cars card which now no w are unused of the cara which have been put into commission nn again quite a number are ara coal carriers here Is 14 another indication of the revival of 0 manufacturing industry Indu atry that revival means that the roads will have more raw materials and finished products to transport it toola some time for the united states stoel steel corporation to got to a reduction Ign in prices prineo for months it refused to lower its rato rates erting that buying would not be stimulated if it evere to do so last month it adopted a more rational policy and in Crip creased ased buying lias bas followed that means ultima ultimately more business for tho the common carriers carr lora naturally the roads would like to see a steady reduction of the num it I 1 her ber of idle cars so should the shippers for it 1 tho the car surplus should be much smaller two months hence and the condition ot of the crops should be ba such as to hold out a hope that all tho the freight cars would be needed the roads might consider it expedient to give up their projected advance in freight rates their first idea was as to raise them at the beginning of last month the vehement opposition they encountered caused them to postpone tho the raise until october there will be even more opposition then if there should be at that time a reasonable approach to the normal volume of freight business and of railroad earnings in g s tho the sharp falling off in earnings la is tho the solo argument advanced for an increase in rates rales it if tho the force of that argument shall be blunted by steady gains in earnings and a reasonable assurance of continued gains higher rates would be utterly indefensible |