The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-05
Discussed by It's Author, w.
L. LaFollette.
WHAT The FARMERS THINK.
Casters Washington, With One
Third the Population, Furnishes
Two-Thfrds the Tonnage Hauled
wtthia the stats-some History
That Drove Away Buaiaess Eron
PaGet eound--LumbeF See doie.

W L. IaFollstts, Of Whitman county.
Chairman Of the present house coainn tee
On railroads was Ia the city yesterday
He is the author Of tie railroad rate
bill which aAs published Ia fuh IN yessef-
days Post intelligence and which - row
pending before the legislature. As was
stated hy the POST Intelhgencsr special
staY correspondent az Olympia. Is ts over
this bill that tie main agat concerning
railroad legislation viii ae wassd GATlhx
the present session.
Tire bill IA published shows aT average
reduction OF ABOUT ~ per cent ~ TAG
present rates on agricultural products.
thai il TO say. corn, grain % all kinds.
-four, feed, milIstuffs. fiaxseed. hay e9fii-
pressed In kAiea ard hops compressed IN
bales sr. Laf9lietse figures fbat TIA g
alict.on may amount % = per cent IN
this calculation he SUBSTANTIALLY agrees
with faiiFs1aJ acc01sntaAts III f1is ely, WHO
fsare that the reduction VIII amount 70
about - per cent. Wiih regard 70 other
farm produce, such as fruits and fsge-
tables egga, butter. cheese. etc. the SET
ona section Of tae bill provides Tor al
actual reduction OF exactly ~ PSF cent.
Mr I.aE0siette's c9pnsasi3Un Yit8 TIE 2ia
AID his close study % the railroad rate
situation render ststefnen5 from .iiin
Just new particularly saiass.e and timely.
He said yesterday:
Demand for Adjustment
There has been for sears demand
that we should have an adjustment of
freight rates ~ Law ia this state Va.
fsoug laws have been proposed and few
have heea passed. with the consent Of The
railroads. hut they have not reached The
desired end ard shippers have teIf that
the railroads did not c0ngeae what they
snoGid ard what they could haFr AFFORDED
10 concede. II fnay be true that adFiEs
the hard times the claim % the railroads
that they we're making 10 money VAS
well founded. bar they ATE TO longer en-
titled to make Hlcn claim. as Their o@ Il
reports show they are making plenty ot
money. Ai,nast every railroad report
throughout the country Ha0RE = BAND
some and substantial Increase III Pet
earnings ana ia this particular our West
reads make a specially good SHOW
Ing.
iieve that even during the hard times the
freight rates charged 0y the roads tsd q
yuod deal Ia do with tie contraction OF
THAR traffic and consequent loss Of earn
inEH. for tho plain fact IL that farm pro-
ducts Of all kinda deprecated so much
In value that with such rates farmers
could not afford 10 raise and ship
Rate. Too High.
The farming community generally
throughout the i,astetu part at tAe state
feels tist freight rates are too Elsa and
have Daen for years, II Is my opinion that
there Il among them na HpGcgal feeling
81 piuaietiyeness or malice toward the
railroads a. corporations Tia faFHef9
feel simply That the railroads have rot
granted sae eancs4saioils witch gasr state
Cofsatsts lou stYtr ~ aAns y ds~
maua ~ them. ana &Alcb the terms
OF their franchise warrant rs III demand
Ing III fact there Is fseIsug t3af tire
rastfeahe aRNe Augne = iva nearer aigsaf-
ing 10 the state what Il should % than
thu state has come 70 detailing "a GHV
railroads Moreover the farmers feel that
there IS a certain equity involved ia thr
matter and that as a simple matter az
business - between themselves aud sEe
roads they aFh entitled 10 BETTER fates
Il know that railway tart are Inclined
10 think that farmers have sardlg tho
right or eaNagitY 80 dictate H@ to tfls Tui-
Icy 70 be pursued IN fixing railroad se4e-
saies. but aver iH E8Nttrn Warrington
VIC are Inclined strongly IN TIE oplu!1n
that If the railroads wuasd gs*e more c3F-
Stderatton fe ttso farming interests &lkH
bette. freight rates such a pciir5 would
result ia the development ~ farming
lands ard farming products $50 ga 10 vast
~ Increase the present Heivsoe 81 tttfHr.
Nor. people would give t'sif attention
20 farming Mere farm psolare ~ aH
kinds would De raised XaVH too 80
realize that sucA a police would hesefit
the Wholesale dealeEs. enabling taN3p to
handle farm products - better advantage
aad ia larger quantities. taus building up
a market upon a larger scale and Wtsu
a more permanent uniform aaa sfasssl&f3-
tai basis. walie 81 tho same ti'no Il would