The Topeka state journal., 1908-10-29
American Rates Are Lower Than
Those of Other Countries.
Pr, ducts Transported to Europe
at Smallest Cost in World.
TOO HIGH IN EUROPE.
In Some Countries Tariffs Reach
Point of EXtOrtiOn.
Other Items of Interest in Rail-
way Circles.

1t long has been the claim of officials
of the American railroads that rates are
lower in this country than in any other
part of the civilized world. The asser-
tion is not an empty boast. but one to
substantiate which hard facts and fig
ures repeatedly have been given. In an
article covering this entire subject the
Wall Street Summary points out that
s. per cent of the agricultural products
of the 100000 square miles of the Mis-
sissippi valley which are transported to
the North Atlantic states and Europe
bear the lowest cost water and rail
charges in the world.
Fifty-f1ve per cent of the business of
this nation is concerned with the pro-
duction, transportation and final con-
version of food products. Indian corn
is the first agricultural product of the
the average crop of Indian corn has
been about $500, 900 bushels. Corn
may be termed the raw product of
manufacture of our farms, as consid-
erably more than half of the crop is
used on the farm for the food of live
stock.
In three-fl -flfths of the areas of the
bread and meat-producing countries Of
Europe, South America, India, Africa
and Australia, the cost of conveying
ton OF 1OOQ 1OU ID4lcS Is dS
much as the average rate for a 1000
mile haul in the United States and
Canada. In this country and Canada
wheat sufficient for the daily bread of
1000 adults is produced by the labor of
seven men for one day, in all processes
from the preparation of the soil through
all operations until the bread is upon
the bakers counter. This is the worlds
best record of cost of production in
food. In Germany the state railways
exact ten times as much for 1000
mile haul as for a 100-mile haul. Sew
eral other foreign nations exact the
same degree of extortion in railroad
rates.
American and Canadian railroad
managers in applying years ago the low
rate for long distance freights based
their idea upon the sound sense In the
laws for the conveyance of letters and
newspapers at uniform postage rates.
For years the average distance travel
ed by railroad passengers In North
America has been 25 miles. Great rail-
road operators have said that If uni
form ticket were issued at the rate OF
payment for 25 miles travel-and good
for use to go from any one point to the
remotest place in the continent-there
would. be no important increase In
travel, as few people can afford the
time for making long distance jour
neys.
Anti-railroad agitation here takes the
ground that the charges for short hauls
are too dear, while the long distance
hauls are about right. In parts of Eu-
rope where functionaries control the
railroads, exorbitant rates prevail for
all distances. In Germany and in
France the effect of these rates is so
hard upon business interests that the
functionaries are building canals or i'm
proving old canals and shipping by
rivers. So far as the improved methods
of meeting public demands for lower
cost long-distance service is concerned,
the results are ludicrous. For instance,
a shipment of copper from Baltimore
was lately landed at Antwerp for ac-
count of an interest within eight hours,
rail haul To save freight the metal
was shipped by canals and rivers, and
was 16 days on the way. From Montana
to Antwerp the time in transit was IL
days.
To give a reasonable service upon raw
and semifinIshed materials for manu-
facturers Germany has set about i'm
proving canals and rivers for the ser
vice of 500 ton to 1000 ton barges. So
far as this system is working, the
freight is carried at higher charges
than on equal distance hauls- by the
North American trunk lines and the
time consumed is five to 16 times as
long on the German water lines as on
the American rail lines.