The Columbus journal., 1905-11-08

CHANGE IN ADDRESS-When ordering q
chance in the address, subscribers should be sure
20 dive thsir old - we'll q their new address.
FREIGHT RATES ABROAD.
President McOurdy of tho Mutual
Life when nettled on the witness
stand last week revolved tho original
remark that figures do not lie. but
liars do figure. Expert evidence ! Of
this sort comes in handy st . time
whom tho railroad propagandists are
attempting to settle the railroad ques-
tion BY assuring us that railroad rates
are the "lowest in the world' in this
country. While this question docs not
entsr into the present issue, relative
rather than absolute rates being tho
main object OF reform at present. the
assertion deserves attention for the
light IL throws on railroad methods Of
educating the public.
II tho per ton per mile rate may be
taken % . fair basis for comparison,
something many good railroad men
ssy cannot be done, then freight
rates In some European countries are
apparently higher than in this ooun-
try. An examination and comparison
Of conditions here and there shows
however the sbsurdity Of making any
comparison between the per ton per
mile rate in Europe and the same rate
in America
Take the matter of capitalization
for intsance, an element that has ian
important bearing upon the necessary
charges for Carrying freight. In
Europe tic actual investment per mile
Of ra:lroad is from 600, 600 to $500, 900.
In America the capitalization averages
$65. 900 per mile, and . goodly per
cent of this is known to be water.
On . per cent basis the European
ruad 10 required to earn e6, 600 or over
net per mile moro than the American
road 10 satisfy interest charges.
They tell us that European rates are
higher In spite Of lower wages in
Europe. The fact is that American
railroads pay annually for men 2.625
per mile. while the European roads
pay q. 1000
Again in some European freight
rates 10 moulded the cost of Carrying
FREQ the mails and other government
property. Add to American freights
what tho government pays the roads
for Carrying mails and other govern.
ment property and notice the result.
Then too. In England, whose rates
tho railroads arc fond of comparing
with ours, the railroads call for and
deliver freight a the express oom-
panies oal for and deliver. packages.
The railrosd advocate forgees to add
20 their charges when making com.
PARSONS tho millions spent for dr.yaRe
BY American shippers.
Perhaps most important Of al the
Omissions Of tho railroad advocates
is their failure to call attention to the
fact that Englsnd. where they fondly
tell us that the average rate is two
coats while ours is eight mills. the
average haul Of freight is twenty five
miles, whereas in this country IL is
24O miles. And here comes in the
fact that whereas in Eng.
land the charge per ton mile for this
twenty-five mile haul Is two cents,
in America tho average charge for .
haul Of this lenRth is over five cents.
or two and Q half times a. much.
Freight rates in Nebfasln on local |
business are probably close to four
times the -eight rates in England on
local business. Another element thss |
enters into the apparent cheapness Of
American rates is the fact that three.
fourshs Of the American shipments
are of raw. materials which are the
cheapest to handle whereas in Eng.
land the proportion is the other way.
We cannot forget also that the
low rates % far - they t
, feet the public are moro apparent
than real Much OF this apparent
cheap0ess IL found in the midnight
late 9Fanted the elevator magnate,
tho rebate to the Standard Oil COM
pany, 20 tho railroad owning coal
% the harvester combine
Tho Independent oil refiner who pays
IS osnls . hundred on his shipment
ioes not appreciate the low rate of
Ten osats given tho Standard OIL CON-
any, and the Nebrasls farmer who
,ays seven cents . bushel to get his
Wheat twenty five miles to the Mis-
ouri river II not especially grateful
hat tho th6asand miles beyond that
ometimes costs the elevator man only
IL conts more.
Lawrence Hohl. now Second Lieu.
Dniant in the regular army, arrived
'ere lloaday for . visit with his I
arents. He don't know where he I
Am - .H><Snm>A -A1R,Snn Nn-a