The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-02-17
THE II. R TARIFF LAW,
CnfayOrable Comments and Crit
tcisms Of Papers situated In nli
Portions of the State.
Cedar Rapids Times.)

feel its practical bearings upon tbs
interests Of the masses.
So far as local tariffs are concerned
in point of "chespness' this law is a
decided success. |, compels the rail
roads TO carry light articles, say from
FIVE to twenty pounds, more or less
quite distance for from one to two
cents, and still lighter packages fol
half q cent, making practically free
transportation, rs the roads never
reckon half cent. 1t matters not how
much may be claimed for this feature
of the law by its friends, i, is of nc
practical benefit to those who were
the most clamorous for the enactment
of law on this matter, as but very
few of those most interested have
anything of this character to ship.
What the masses of the people oi
Iowa are interested in is the question
of through freights. The wealth of
Iowa consists in the products of the
soil, and the profits in producing
these, largely depends upon the facil
tiles for transportation and cost of
carrying il to an eastern market, and
no law which does not lessen through
freights to the East can benefit the
masses of the people. Instead Of
meeting this necessity, the new law
operates directly the reverse. The
through lines in our State hsve ar.
ranged their tariffs in strict conform
ity with the requirements of the law
in Iowa, and partly TO make up their
losses in the one cent business, aud
considerably to have revenge for the
attitude the people OF Iowa have as
sumed against them, have raised the
tariff on through freights to Chicago
to suit themselves, aud 10 degree
that will operate seriously against the
interests Of the producing classes.
The Chicago and Northwestern,
for instance, have raised the tariff on
wheat from Cedar Rapids to Chicago
three cents per hundred, and five
cents on other grain, and other points
in proportion. This alone will take
tens Of thousands of dollars out of the
pockets of the farmers of Northwest
ern Iowa. For his there is 10 re-
dress: not even in State legislation.
We might enumerate other things in
the operation of this law which revert
seriously upon the interests Of the
people, but one more item will suf-
fee.
Previous to the law going into eff
feet, the city Of Clinton enjoyed a
most lucrative traffic in lumber along
the line of the B., c. R. & NJ. road.
The tariff then per car load from Clin-
ton to Cedar Falls was twenty-cight
dollars; the new law makes the tariff
between the same points fourteen
dollars more. And the result is that
the lumber trade from Clinton along
the B., G. r. & M. road has fallen off
to mere nothing. The practical
workings Of this new railroad law
demonstrate it to be one Of the most
5ungling pieces Of legislation ever
enacted in the State, and one which
while it falls entirely harmless upon
the "extortion" aimed at, strikes
severe blow upon the industrial in
terests of the whole country by its
unequal operations. its penny wise
and pound foolish policy, its saving at
the bunghole and losing at the spig-
got.
AS regards passenger tariffs there
is slight reduction. But the rise in
through freights practically amounts
to the producers paying passenger
fare for gentlemen of leisure. The
practical workings of the law demon
strate it to be a terribly botched Job.
From the Clinton Age
The law fixing the rates railroads
of Iowa should charge for transport
ing freight and passengers has been
in operation something over month.
As near as we can ascertain, the law
has been enforced by the railroads.
and the rates fixed adhered to. The
question now arises, who has been ben
efitted by this law?
We can hardly believe the Farmers
have, because we have had an oppor-
tunity lately to interview a large
number Of them upon this subject,
and the invariable response is hum
bus, and in some instances it is de-
nounced as swindle upon the farm
ers.
If we remember correctly, the law
was passed in the interests Of the
farmers. 1t was this class which |
seemed to feel the most oppressed by |
what was denominated railroad ex-
tortions. But instead of the State
appropriating fund to prosecute the
roads for extortions, the Legislature
undertook to entertain arbitrary rates
for conveying freight, which rates all
roads in certain classes were to be
governed by. 1t matters not how
much more one road costs than anoth
er, nor in what direction they run, the
rates were the same for all seasons of |
the year, and under all circumstances.
The elasticity which at times expert
ence had taught railroad managers
the absolute necessity Of favoring,
was declared illegal, and the railroads
subjected to fine for practicing it.
Now, we ask again, who is benefit
ted by this law? Passenger rates
may be reduced somewhat, but the |
class the law has intended to benefit,
don't travel much by cars, so this
benefit is hardly precep,ibIe. The
farmer may have his plow manufac-
tured in this State, brought to him
for one dollar when heretofore it cost |
him two dollars. And in other items
the farmer may in this manner, alto
gether, save ten or fifteen dollars.
but it costs him FIVE cents per bushel |
more 10 get his grain to market, and
he has two thousand bushels to sell,
he is still out eighty-five or ninety
dollars, and if on his cattle and hogs
the increased cost Of transportion is
as much more, he finds himself loser
on his own produce of some two hun
dred dollars.
We believe the law is working the
greatest possible injury to all the in
dustrial interests Of the State. The
farmers will be the greatest sufferers,
because their interests are the largest,
but all other industries must suffer,