The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-22
KANSAS COANENT
INCREASE OF FREIcHr RATES.

INCREASE OF FREIGHT RATES.
The statement made by the man
ayers or the leading railroads that they
intend to make an increase in freight
rates mas naturally caused consider
abe perturbation among the whole
sale and Jobbing fraternity. The pub
lie generally have had a feeling that
ireignt rates are high enough. and that
the railroads are waxing rich thereby.
d. r. Yoakum, president of the Rock
lstand-Frisco lines, however, presents
the railroads side of the case. and
SHOWS that compared to the rates
charged by English railroads, Ameri-
can rates are rfdiculously low. ~ -
In Great Britain one dollar will
move ton of freight 43 miles. in
france Sc miles. in Germany IS miles,
put IN the United States. according to
Mr. oakum, you can ship a ton of
average freight 1872 miles for a dollar
bill.
According to Interstate commerce
statistics for 1907, the railways of this
country earned from the transporta-
ton of freight s1,S26. 100000. Had
TINS same tonnage been moved over
English lines the freight bill would
nave Appropriated $4,OO0,0OO,00O.
In Great Britain, locomotive fire.
men average $500 per annum, while
mere they make about $763. British
they are called there, earn the in
significant sum of S315s a year. while
In the United States passenger conduc-
tors average $1,155 per annum. Lo-
connective engineers in the Old Country
make about $4S7 year, while on this
side OF the water, according to the
most reliable statistiesy-the men who
hold the throttle lever make in the
neighborhood of 81, 357 annually Sec
ton men in the United States average
$423 per annum, which is SOS more
than conductors get en- the crack roads
of Great Britain.
And here's the key to the whole
thing: American locomotives haul
bigger trains. The ordinary Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern freight
train is equal to at least ten English
goods trains. 1t is more profitable to
feed 1000 people daily at Is cents a
head than to feed SO at so cents. Small
profits and lots of them is what counts
nowadays.-Wichita Eagle.
BIG TALK.
In spite of the panic and the poll
teal campaign. and the ever present
complaints, which possibly help. there
is no doubt that this is the most pros
porous nation in the world. The panic
which began here last year was world
wide, but recovery. commenced
quicker in this country than else
where, and extended farther. At the
beginning of the panic our purchases
of imports fell off at once, but the ex-
port trade went on for some time I'M
checked, which gives the biggest bal
ance of trade in our favor ever made
in the history of the country; $685.
100000 for the year ending June list
last. No other country in the world
ever before had a margin of trade
even remotely approaching that of the
United States. Thus commerce adj
justed the financial situation: not
trade we secured Increased credits
abroad, which provided the gold
necessary to tide us over the financial
crisis. This country produces more
coal. iron. lead. petroleum, cotton,
wheat corn, silver and some other
products than any other country in
the world. Here are. the greatest
number of miles of navigab1e rivers of
any country in the world; the greatest
railway mileage. There is idle land
in the country which could provide
cotton enough in year to supply the
needs of the world No country is so
no other country is the average man
so well housed and fed and paid for
his efforts, and no other land offers
equal opportunities of advancement.
The fact that the United States has
the most liberal and just form of
government in the world has had
something to do with our vast pros
perity Natural resources and the
pioneer blood of those who started
the country, and immigrants who
have appreciated it have done the