The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1902-06-12


think am safe in saying that next to
the Christian religion and the common
schools: no other single work enters into
of the whole country to the same extent
as the railway; no other work could have
made IT possible to occupy the enormous
country and people them with cities.
While the railways have to answer for
on the Whole the fssalt has ef been to
create the most effective, useful. and. by
Tar, the cheapest system OF land trans
pSe9at1en in the world In ENGLAND the
miles, ssss in FRANCE ssnse' , SnS han %Ss
tria' Sl:90; in Germany. where most of
the government, s1.S4; in Russia. also
government ownership. where the ship
ments are carried under conditions more
country as RESPECTS long haul, $1.70; in
the United States the average cost is
" cents. or less than 40 per cent of the
white every. article used by the railroads,
inGluamg labor. costs more in this coun :
try than - y cests Y Europe With the ex-
ins the United ssmtes AREAS a5iy.le. more
than Y twice az high. and t6is high cost In
the pnitsds States is cohtaptlyH increas :
AM % Sc a. es nsas1 MhiaR
has increased In the past three years
over ~ per cent. You gentlemen whose
manufactured articles are sold through
out the country are always able to base
your selling price on the cost of produc-
ton, 6 and when your raw material and
Ro ST. s5
enormous advance In wages. in material
of every KIND; the rates Of transportation
by comparison so much lower than those
OF any other country that there is no
comparison between them.
f lie sa nass oe ed isfispo ~ g.
past thirty yssEs haze s vi not {. q ma ma
accomplished rather than to seek to de-
strey or appropriate the means which
have brought about these results?
Mhag " we consider as what has ben &C
rate Of transportation which prevails. the
average cost being not to exceed one
Eeas fIs Eas r sas
fafty or IA. more t. three the increase by
pertation in roadway. equipment and ter
reason to congratulate. itsslf on. what has
ther. that eli this has been brought about
to serve. the pubic and help Themselves Hses
ee y Tn any %ays af stas!
try are subject tos the interstatks cofh-
merce law. It is said that carriers dc
es pub hs saee ARE
claimed. out Of the Violation Of the laws "
government ownership is suggested by
| the interstate commerce commission by
others: $500 o s'g'-- ~
Government ownership means the Con
md <>F 1xox 1,xrrr
ment, officials. A. mere statement Of the
| proposition arouses in the mind of al.
most every thoughtful man the feal
struction OF the szovernment itself. :
@ Price o. Iransport at'en. I.
II the earnings which the railways are
entitled toy receive were to- be derived
on their respective lines the rates o.
he much higher than Sit is. The Interest
0fN,4hewpubltc served by the railways is
largely IN the increase Of the volume OF
| the Great Northern and Northern Pacific
from Lake Superior and the Mississippi
river to Puget Sound. All the interstate
freight producing area south Of Lake SUI.
P Is and east, q Ghicagosmust come te
%an ere closed
around the south end of Lake Michigan
| by way OF Chicago To increase the vol.
ume of traffic. and thus be able to reduce
| rates, these two companies must secure
q share OF the interstate traffic from the
territory named and must also be able Il
reach territory furnishing market for the
turn freight to be transported over theil
lines and by steamship connection witt
the Pacific coast terminals:
investment by those interested in the
territory, served by the lines. in increas.
ing the volume of traffic and in reducing
rates the territory will be built up and
II the question Of. the. ownership o
stock was left 20 the public served b,
would it not be for the interest Of tn.
public to have such ownership placed II
the hands Of those. who had acquired II
af a with s bnn
OF the lines and building up the territory
served by them?
Railway Competition.
1 There has been during the pastsyear 9
| great deal Of public discussion about rail.
way competition and a large amount o
the subject It is always q safe basis e
any length of time IL the result Of its
true Of yo1r business business and that e thu
can tbs Td to build W its
win destroy each other fer. the Genera
leases in the past and the roads which
!. have-s followed this gcourse have & gone
4 through theN.portal OF bankruptcy into
the hands Of rival owners, and, in some
cases. into the hands OF owners whose
4 greater interest is in other directions
and whose object in obtaining them ha.
been more to restrict the growth of tht
country than to increase it.
r. Competition In railway rates Is either
Facttve or inactive. All railway rates are
the subject Of conference between the
| lines interested. followed by an agree.
| ment as to rates. and the conditions Of
the business of the country demands thai
i this course must always be followed. AL
rates are by law made public, and what
| ever rate Is adopted by one road must bt
adopted by the others, or they will lose
| their share Of the traffic. In this there
is no active competition. When cOmpett.
ton is active, tariffs are disregarded anG
private rates are made to large shippers
and rebates paid. amounting, as has beer
| published. to enormous sums In the
yearly aggregate. To prevent this active
competition, both the federal government
| and the several states have enacted laws
which have been dead letter on the
statute books until public opinion has de:
take some action under the law: The re:
commission. has resulted. believe. to =
II they follow 1t up with the power con.
ferred upon them by the act Of congress
| the. entire system OF private rates will
no q fol}She6 tn the advantage of the