Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-08
j. j. Hill Says Scarcity of Labor
is Responsible For Railway
Congestions
NEXT YEAR WILL BE WORSE
Freight Rates Will Advance With In
PRODUCTION Of Two Cent Fares-kan-
sas Shippers Make Appeal to Relief
From High Rates in the West-East
Agrees With Hill.


New York, Feb. S.-Before leaving
New York for st. Paul last night,
James j. Hill, president Of the Great
Northern railway, was asked his opln-
ion on the dispatches from the west,
which said that the people of the
northwest would suffer loss of $780,
100000 this year because OF the wealth
err bloclkades and other elements which
have prevented movement OF traffic.
Mr.. Hill said: In my opinion, 1t Is
all nonsense. AS matter of fact, the
farmers are much better off today than
a year ago. For one thing. wheat is IL
cents a bushel higher than it was this
time last year, and this is q very i'm
portant item. or course, there Will be
some destruction OF wheat on account
of very severe weather, but not nearly
so much as reported.
1T is mistake to place the blame
for the failure to move this years
crops wholly on the railroads. The rail-
roads never held traffic back until the
lake navigation closed in order that
they might get a longer haul. The
railroads of the northwest are getting
all the haul they want now. and they
have just as much business as they
can stand and apparently will have FOR
many months to come.
THE reason the crop was not moved
this year was because of the scarcity OF
labor, and l predict that conditions may
be worse next year. The excursion rates
given by the northwestern roads have
usually supplied the northwest with
enough labor in harvesting time 10
handle the crops, but this year the
states are all clamoring for the maxi
mum rate of cents mile. If they
get it, 1t will apply TO excursion labor
as well as everything else, and thas
will mean there will be no excursion Ia
Dor rates and consequently more trou-
BILE in moving the crops than ever be-
fore.
IAN advance in freight rates seems
inevitable. 1t may come first in the
eastern trunk lines, but 1t probably
will spread all over the country. Wages
of labor and the prices of materials
and operating conditions have been
making steadily for smaller net earn
ings. The commodities of the country
have been advancing in price, while
rates have been showing
decreases. This is an order of things
Ia, mi no &c al
hand when an advance in rates is I'M
avoidable.'
Must Raise Rates.
New York, Feb. 8.-Railroad officials
who make their headquarters here
seem generally disposed to echo the
remark last Monday of President James
J. Hill of the Great Northern, that the
railroads of the country will find them
selves obliged before long to advance
freight rates instead of reducing them.
The concensus of opinion Of these Off
Gals is that the increase in cost Of
labor and material is so far outstrip-
ping the rate of increase in net earn
ings that only a moderate reversal Of
business activity Will bring the rail-
road companies face to face with 4
pretty difficult problem as to rates, es-
pecially in view of the popular senti-
ment toward railroads now prevailing.
In an interview on the question, Ros-
well Miller, chairman of the board OF
directors of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
ST. Paul road said, that instead of be-
ing able to think of raising rates, the
roads are actually confronted by
movement for reduction of rates. This
NJ II
of course, oppose, owing to the condi-
tons under which they are operating.
w. C. Brown, senior vice president of
the New York Central. agreed with
Mr. Miller as regards the needs of an
increase. TT will have to come" he
said.
President r. D. Underwood, of the
Erie road, when asked how he thought
the railroads and the public could be
brought together, replied:
"Split up the bonds. The people
can't buy railroad bonds as the case
now stands, and as for the average en-
ploye, he never has $1,000 together at
one time in his life. So let the roads
split up their bonds and let everybody
in. The railroads would have a lot
more friends if they did"
Shippers Make Appeal.
Kansas City, Feb. S.-Shippers in
Kansas City and other Missouri river
towns have appealed to the interstate
commerce commission for relief from
railroad rates charged on thru freight
from the Atlantic coast. The petition,
which was forwarded to Washington
Wednesday night, involves, it is said.
more territory, more freight tonnage
and more revenue than any similar
petition presented to the interstate
commerce commission since 1887.
The three Missouri river gateways
for the central west and southwest
are Omaha, st. Joseph and Kansas
City. Thru these cities passes a vast
volume of freight. With the increase
of business necessarily incident to the