Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1909-01-06
EDITOR APPEAL: PETER r. DUNE, att,

EDITO APPEAL: Pc Z r. DONNG, attorney li Ie Nchli"i
Pacific Railway Company, has asked permission to inspect tn books
of Reno merchants, claiming the light upon the ground that thu all
road company had submitted their books or inspection to the inter-
State Railroad Commission, now investigating alleged Determinations
practiced by the railroad company against Nevada n in ave G, sea
port towns on the Pacific, 1t is perfectly fair to grant the request
Mr.. dunno, however, is more cunning than bright in hi particu-
lar. He can deceive Il 10 II possessed OF IL fan degree OF mteLf
gence. He knows and the company knows, and have always Known
aim to make about 10 per N " and above costs of all kinds, out
that is n ot a let profit by any Is. He knows that IS oon as Ne
vada merchants make more, the company claps OIL a little Tor for
freight, and at ali times charges all the traffic will bear. 1t is its sys-
ten hey apply the peculiar system not only to TIL merhan
but to the farmer, miner, and every one with whom they deal,
If Mr.. Dunno WI fair, and attempted to do the fair thing, he
would seek to ascertain what the goods cost to the consumer. That
is the fellow who pays the freight He will OF do that. If Nevada
consumers were not charged exor btant prices, there would be more
consumer in Nevada.
Figures will not lie, but liars will figure. Andrew Carnegie cen
to understand that thoroughly. Testfying before h Tariff commits
sion recently, Chairman Payne and Representative falzen, the cham
pons now the stand pauers. attcrnp pied to ply him with figures and he
said: Il do not even look at figures prepared by parties in inter
est; look at results" lie knows; he has had figures prepared loso of
times. For about 80 years he produced figures before Congress show
ing, conclusivey, that he could OF live without a protective tariff on
steel and iron; yet during that time the results show, conclusively, that
he has made about $5OOOOOOO0. 1t is evident that a liar figured.
Mr.. Dunno will produce hgur IS to show that during the year
1907 the railroads earned only aboout 4 per cent o n their capuafXa-
ton, whilst farmers earned 8 per cent and SON of the protected indus
tries earned all the way from 1G per eel to > o per cent. He will rat
gers ends. Hartman, stubbs and others have them all prepared. For
railroad earnings, they base their figures upon their valuation for
and not upon money actually invested. For farm earnings, they base
their figures upon the assessed valuation of the farm properueS'
which averages in the United States at about rs per cent OF actual
value. If the railroads based their figures upon heir valuation for
purposes of taxation, the result would show that during the years 1907
or so per cent of the actual cash invested. From this calculation and
statements. except such stockholders a have purchased since the
watering of the stocks, and paid the market price. These are the
small holders. and they are the honest II les. The bg bug point TO
them with pride. and show that hey have received only 4 per cent o
their investment. Thus figures will not lie, but liars will figure.
ALFRED CHARTZ