The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1901-06-28
the RAILROADS AND the PEOPLE.

The exclusive announcement in the
Journal that the railroads have decid.
ed to increase the rate for the southern
territory on cotton fabrics to and from
all eastern points over 20 per cent was
most unwelcome news to the mer-
chants and the people at large.
The class of goods involved is do
mestics, which are treated by the
wholesale merchants as leaders and
on which their profits are very small
already. This class of goods is con-
sumed by all classes of people but es.
pecixlly by the poorer classes, and the
increase of the transportation tax on
them is a hardship of unusual Sc.
verify.
That the railroads have not sufficient
excuse is evidenced by the fact that
only a short time ago they decided
not to increase this rate. Within q
few days after this decision comes the
announcement that 20 per cent rate
will go into effect on July lst.
The merchants should resort to
every means that can be devised to
check and prevent this disposition to
add to the fixed charges of the south.
ern people.
They should, through their organi-
cations and Individually, bring the
matter to the attention of their repre-
sentatives and senators in congress as
well as to the railroads, and urging
the injustice of it, should endeavor to
get speedy relief from one quarter or
the other.
The railroads are already making
large profits. Their stocks have been
constantly increasing in value for quite
a while and this additional dig should
not be submitted to until all efforts to
prevent it have failed.
The people have been told that
of all the railroads would
prove great blessing because it would
lessen the expenses of operation, and
it has been urged for years that the
clause of the constitution of Georgia
which stands in the way of railroad
ordinations that were meant to de.
feat competition is for this reason q
great obstacle in the way of the states
development. But the people have
not found by experience that these ar.
guments are correct, as this last effort
to wiring additional profits from the
people proves.
Cotton manufacturing in the south
is confined almost entirely to articles
the rates upon which is raised heavily.
BY far the greater part of these goods
Is shipped from southern mills to east
erh markets and much of it is after.
wards reshipped to southern mer-
chants by the brokers and great job
Ding houses of the east.
The increased rate thus falls doubly
lpon southern industry.
A reduction of rates on the finer |
grades Of cottons which are made in |
he east is no compensation for this |
additional burden upon southern man.
southern merchants land |
outhern consumers.
The reduction of rates ON the finer
'oods is benefit to the east, but the
outh is subjected to q heavier trans
tax upon the lines Of goods
With which it is chiefly concerned.
the other effects of this re-
may be it is clearly a
against the south and
therefore, blow at southern industry
nd commerce.
How much will this 20 per cent in
rease cost the people of the southern
tates? If the cost were capitalized
q the basis of the railroads capitali-
alton il would doubtless run UP into
ne millions. But the railroad finan-
lers are not apparently looking to the
natter of capitalization from the
'andpOint of the people. If the mer-
hants and the people do not protect
the corporations certainly
ill not.
The railroads have been complain
lg for years at what they call efforts
unjust legislation in the southern
ates. How can the people protect
lemselves unless it is done by legis-
ton? Such efforts at increasing
leir burdens as this last one cannot
expected to fail to provoke an effort
: the part of the people at self pro-
ction.-Atlsnta Constitution.