Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1902-06-19


Washington, in the Big Bend coun.
try, are arranging Cor a conference
i tween themselves and Presidents
n Hartman and Melleu of the
Great Northern, Northern Pacific
and o. r. 4 n railroads with
view to securing a fairer and more
equitable freight rate than that row
prevailing. The farmers have fig
ured out that the railroad cumpan-
les get more for hauling crop OF
wheat in their cars for one OF two
days, while Transporting it to mar
ket, than the farmer gets for his
foil years work Of blowing, seeding,
harvesting, threshing, sacking and
hauling the same crop from the
farm to the railroad station. They
argue further that the farmer has
TO take all the chances on poor
crops and low prices, and he has to
etand the loss while the railroad
companies continue TO charge their
full rate for hauling. The farmers
argue, and rightly too, that this ia
not fair, and they hope to be able to
convince the railroad presidents, if
they can be persuaded to attend
the proposed conference, that the
present rate of124 cents per bushel
On wheat aud the prohibitive rates
on potatoes, fruit, vegetables, baled
hay, straw &C, is . detriment not
only to the farmers but to the rail-
roads themselves. The farmers
show good judgement,in approach
ing the proposition in this way.
The railroad companies care not a
straw about the prosperity of the
farmer beyond the point of mere
existence and ability to continue to
produce crops for the railroads to
haul to tidewater; but if these wide
awake farmers of the Big Bend can
convince the railroad magnates
that q lower rate will mean larg-
ly increased production of wheat
which is now produced and ship
ped on very slender margin-and
Of potatoes, fruit, vegetables etc,
which can1ot now be shipped at all
because of excessive freight charges,
they may be able 20 gain some con
cessions If the farmers can prove
that there is more money for the
railroads in a low rate than a high
one, theIow rate may be established.
This matter has the same inter-
est for the farmers OF the state of
Oregon as for those of Washington.
Every producer is, in sense, at
the mercy Of the railroad compan-
les who arc in a position to levy
whatever tribute they like on his
products ard necessities and ii
is time for the farmers and produc-
ers of Oregon to begin to study
these questions as their Washington
neighbors seem to be doing and pre-
pare to meet the conditions which
the railroad combinations and mer-
gers are fast bringing about. If
the farmers can gain a point by
conferences and on the mutual in
terest plan, well and good, they
should go after and get everything
along that line possible, but if
they still fall short of justice they
will have to resort to legislation
and in this particular the people of
Oregon are in better shape to get
what they want than their neigh
bors across the line. Oregon now
has the initiative and referendum
system and if the farmers want GER
tain Legislation enacted which will
protect them from excessive freight
rates they should see to itthatsuch
laws are enacted. IF on the other
hand, the Legislature should enact
laws favorable to the railroads and
oppressive to the producers the
producers should see to it that su ch
laws are rejected by a referendum
vote.
The railroad companies are look
ing out for the railroad companies
fi.st, last and all the time. The
farmers must look out for their own
interests or they will find them
selves coming out of the small end
ofa very small horn in the near f,l-
ture.
There are but a few railroad mag
mates as compared to the number
of farmers and if the latter would
only wake up and take an interest
~ tha;r own u,alfa 70 thav could