Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-08-30
RAILROAD RATES AND PRICES.

The Railway World says: lone rea-
son for the failure to work up public
demand for wholesale reductions in
rates is the conviction that freight
charges enter very little into the prices
OF commodities in ordinary consump-
tiOn."
In order to sustain its point, the Rail-
way World quotes from a statistician
in one of the departments at Washing.
ton. This statisticlan attempts to
show the relation between freight rates
and prices of a number of articles in
common use. He says that while the
freight charges, using the ] 900 mile
haul from Chicago to New York as
basis, have been practically stationary
in the eight years, 1897 to 1905, prices
of goods have advanced In some cases
fifty per cent.
The Railway World makes synopsis
of this statistician's showing in this
form:
On wheat, for illustration, the rate in
1897 was S0.1275. and in 1905 about the
same, SOFIA, yet the price advanced
from S07437 to $1.0S per bushel. The
freight rate on barrel of flour advanc.
ed in eight years from q to 80 cents,
while the price advanced from So 80 to
$4 90. The rate on bacon was held
steadily at 80 cents, the price advanced
from $3.50 to SIP per hundredweight.
On butter, the rate per pound was un-
changed, at $.O065; the wholesale price
was raised from IA to q cents. On eggs
and beans likewise the rates were un-
changed, standing at SOFA for the form
er, per dozen, and at S. Is for the latter
measured by the bushel; yet the price
of eggs advanced from III to 20 cents,
and OF beans from $50 to $2.1O. On
sugar, per pound, the freight rate was
$.0025 in 1897 and $003 in 1905; the
the price was sos in 1897 and 1915 in
the present year. Coffee enjoyed the
same rates as sugar and the price was
raised from $.0737 to $.0S5 per pound.
On cotton goods, per yard, the rate was
unchanged at $1,000; the price advanc-
ed from $065 to $.O7s7, wholesale. On
mems shoes the price moved in the con-
trary direction, the rate standing in
both years at $.0l12 per pair and the re-.
tall price declining from 81 90 to So SO.
1T will be obsesved that in every in.
stance but one cited by the Hallway
World, prices advanced, and 1T is diff
cult to see how those citations sustain
the Worlds claim that freight charges
do not seriously affect the prices to the
consumer. The advance in these prices
was abnormal and in most instances
brought about through the trust system
The decline in the price of mems shoes
is due, perhaps, to the fact that certain
manufacturers have made specially
in advertising a $500 shoe" and a
'$3. SO shoe"
Anyone at all familiar with business
understands that freight rates are given
large consideration when the price
which the consumer must pay is fixed.
The principle against which the Rail-
way World contends is 80 we'll under
stood that it is hardly necessary to pre-
sent proof in its support. 1t may not
be out of place, however, to refer to a
book recently published by 1.-The World
Railway Publishing Company" This
book was written by Marshall M. Kirk.
man and is said to form one of the SER
les of volumes comprised in the revised
and enlarged edition of 1.-THE Science
of Railways" While asserting that
1.-THE rates of railways are governed by
the same laws that fix the price of other
necessaries of life," and that I'VE can
no more change them arbitrarily than
we can the price of fish or -four" Mr..
Kirkman says: 1.-The rates charged by
carriers affect the cost of,everythlng we
use. They appeal especially to the pro.
Queer and the consumer. Each sees
that the amount is added to the cost.
The Railway World is mistaken if i,
really believes that there is no public
demand for reform in the matter Of
railroad regulation. Mr.. Roosevelt:
promise that he would insist upon ar
enlargement of the powers of the inter
state commerce commission to the enc
that that body have the authority to FL
rates has proved to be the most popular
declaration the president has ever made
Whenever republican conventions hay,
been called upon to nominate candidate
Tor office, since Mr.. Roosevelt mad
that announcement. particular pain
have been taken by republican leader
to point with pride to Mr.. Roosevelt
position in the hope of winning favo
for their candidate.
The railroad managers have, through
their literary bureaus, undertaken t