The Washington times., 1908-09-01
Railroad Rates Here and Abroad

Rock Island system, in a vigorously
stated interview, sets forth the best
that may be said in favor of the propo-
sition TO increase railroad rates, as a
means to bringing back prosperity.
Mr.. Noakum undertakes to demon
strate that the railroads of this country
ought to have higher tolls, by compar-
ing freight rates here with those
abroad. His figures give the average
ton mile rate as follows;
Great Britain. -......... 2I-3 cents
France ........-...-... l1a cents
Germany ........--...-... / l-3 cents
United States "a cent
It would increase the freight bills
which American shippers pay annually
by the enormous tot,l of four billions
of dollars, Mr.. Yoakum shows, if the
British rates were charged here.
The best authorities on comparison
of rates here and abroad have demon
strated that these ton mil" con -r,,risons
are entirely unfair. Take Great Britain
for instance:
The heavy freight of Britain is main
ly hauled by sea, at rates vastly lower
than the railroads make, either there
or here. Most of the vast tonnage Of
coal to London comes by sea. In the
United States this class of freight
moves by rail, over long distances; and
the long ton-mile rate on it, which IS
profitable, reduces she average freight
rate Of the country very much II all
British freight, whether moved by land
or sea, be figured together, it viii be
found that the difference is vastly less
than Mr.. Yoakum makes It.
Again, in Britain, France, and Ger
many, distances being short and termi-
nal charges necessarily melting UP a
much larger proportion of the rate than
here, the eon-mile rate seems on the
average to be high. Yet for like dis
tances, as has been shown by the in
vestigation of Messrs. Adams and New
combe, the European rates are fre-
quently lower than the American In
fact, it is probably safe to say that
if all the long-distance business of the
United States, which is not comparable
10 anything in the countries named, be
excluded from the comparison, Ameri-
can rates on the rest of the business
viii be found just about as high as
the average for the three countries
named.
Another element, however, enters,
which Mr.. Yoa1um does not mention,
The English, German, and French rail
roads carry as railroad freight, the i'm
mense volume of goods corresponding to
the business OF the express companies
in this country. On this business, in
small parcels, and of high average
value, the rates are necessarily high
All this does not igure in making an
average ton-mile rate for the United
States, simply because this business Is
not included in tonnage of railroad
business. If it we've included, as in fair
ness it should be. it would greatly in
crease the averoEe rate in this country,
for express rates here are vastly higher
than the cbo---7 anywhere else on cor
responding business.
FiraU- -~' CIVILIZATIONS are
higher in Britain and France than here
immensely higher.
A candid, straightforward compari-
son of rates here and abroad, with all
elements iairly admitted and weighted,
viii not show any such difference as
Mr. Yoakum assumes. The truth Is
that American railroad rates are un-
scientific in adjustment, and on the
whole, considering all conditions, are
probably as high as those of Europe.
II IS stated that in the fsticuffs me-
lee between Senator Scott and an adj
mirine constituent, "thirty-six blows