Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-12

cOuplefS ana all tneSe tHlH5S must DC
considered.
The proposed increase in rates in the
west, as announced by Chairman tuck
er, Of the Central Traffic association
a few days ago, is 90 cents hundred
on grain, and 80 cents on provisions
from Chicago to New York. In addi-
tion, on over so per cent of the COM
modify rates reduced below tariffs since
March there Is to be an advance and
on stone, cement and brick the advance
is from 10 to 25 per cent above former
tariffs. The advance on groceries and
iron articles from Chicago to Color
ado and Utah points is stated by the
press to be over 100 per cent. There
is also a large advance on livestock
and many other articles. The full inn
port of the new advance in rates will
be fully appreciated later by actual
experience, unless the interstate COM
merce commission, congress and an
outraged public interfere to prevent
these Knockout drops being admin
istered by the railway managers to
an innocent and helpless public whom
they have in their grasp"
Mr.. Campbell, in his protest to the
manded a financial showing by the
corporations. He contended that the
increased rates exceeded the increased
expenses and are attended by de-
gree of prosperity unparalleled. He
quotes the interstate commerce COM
mission as stating in the report for
1900 that the increased cost of trans
portation then amounted to only S:S4
per cent as compared with previous
years, but as adding that ''the signif1-
.cance Of these facts is that the di-
rectors of railroads during the year
1899 have ayailed themselves of high
net earnings, made permanent improve
ments on railway and rolling stock and
have charged these Improvements to.
operating expenses He quotes from
the Iowa commissioners report for 1902
showing that the Milwaukee company
had charged one year to operating ex-
.penses one and half million dollars
paid for renewal of ties and rails, and
the Burlington, Rock Island and North
western had made similar charges. The
latest reports show the prosperity of
the railroads Still greater showing that
the % per cent advance is still getting
in it's work. Continuing Mr.. Campbell
wrote:
Iowa has been hit hard already by
the advances. first of 22.2 per cent
in classification on interstate traffic,
followed by a similar advance by the
Iowa commissioners on classification,
on the plea of the railways to meet
advance in operating expenses. etc..
giving the shippers and producers of
the state double dose and increasing
the gross earnings of the railways from
$4S, ,466, ,15S.44 in 1898, to s59,10S. .191.41.
an increased burden on the commerce
OF Iowa OF over ten million dollars.
Another advance will be extortion of
the worst character, and will be re-
sented ard resisted by the people Of
this great commonwealth"
Mr.. Campbell gave statistics show
ing that the net income per mile of
railroads on the 10000 miles in the
United States, after all deductions, was
for 1890 $651, for 1895 1916, and for
1900 was s1,1S0 per mile. With the
net income per mile doubled In the
last five years. says Mr.. Campbell,
ION the railways Of the United States.
does it not require a large degree of
on the part of the managers
to ask an advance in rates, and will the
people of the country submit to this
exorbitant demand in the face of these
fact?"
Mr. Campbell referred to the fact that
two who have been most active in urg-
ing the advance in rates and justifying
the advance on account of increased
Expenses are A. c. Bird Of the G. NJ. &
ST p, and Paul Morton of the Santa
Fe. Both these officials are expert
traffic managers" said Mr., Campbell.
but in the financial departments of
their respective roads they are per-
haps strangers to the fact that the
business has prospered immensely. For
instance, the gross earnings of the
Milwaukee road, as shown in the re-
port of the Iowa commissioners for
1902, June 3Oth, were over $42,000,000,
the dividends declared were 5.5 per
cent on common stock and per cent
on preferred, q total of $5,444, 1S1, and
OF the amount charged to operating
expenses one and half million dollars
was for renewal of rails and ties, and
further that the average daily COM
pensation of it's employees exclusive of
salaried officials in 1902 was less than
in 1898, being s2.1S for 1898 and $1.9S
for 1902. The gross earnings of the
Santa Fe, which road was in the hands
of receiver from 1894 to 1898, were
over ten million dollars greater In 1902
than in 1898; in 1898 the Santa Fe
paid no dividends. while for 1902 divi-
dends amounting to SS,104,300 were
declared, Is on common stock and
per cent on preferred, a pretty healthy
showing for financial invalid"
Mr.. Campbell declares that the facts
are that most of the railroads Of the
United States can carry freight at one
half the rates of a decade ago and reap
large profits. BY strengthening and
shortening lines, cutting down grades.
increasing speed, laying double tracks,
using larger cars and engines, doubl-
ing and even trebling their tonnage,
and other modern Improvements they
have made it possible to do this. In
conclusion Mr.. Campbell stated to the
interstate commerce commission by
way OF suggesting a remedy:
Nov that the railway managers ig-
more the law and commissioners in put
ting into force eXtortionate rates, and
congress declines to interfere to pro-
tect the people. the outcome will be
resort to the ballot, and if government
control fails. then ownership will be
the only remedy, desperate as it is.
To this we are surely drifting-and
there will be q day of reckoning, and
Il squeezing process. and 1t Will not
be the innocent granger or shipper that
will feel it. either Whom the gods