The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-08-04
REDUCING COTTON RATES.

way Commission in the matter of the
proposed change of cotton rates to
mileage basis has developed big sur
prise for the reason that the average
business man has not appreciated the
revolutionary character of the pro
posed change, especially in it's re-
lation to the important cotton centers
like Meridian, Hattiesburg, Jackson
and Brookhaven. The proposed rates
as applied to the Mississippi Central
would result in great loss to that road,
to keep up development in a section
that is hampered for want of railway
Facilities. 1t will also make it pos
sible for the cotton buyers of Natchcz
to come to Prentiss and buy cotton
against Hattiesburg and will make it
possible for Natchez to take pracric
ally all the cotton away from Brook
haven, except a small amount on the
Illinois Central. 1t would also enable
Vicksburg and Greenville to deprive
the cotton buyers OF Meridian, Jack.
son and Yazoo City of the opportunity
to do business in their own territory.
resulting in the loss of thousands of
dollars to those cities. The present
rates have been made with a view to
giving the more important towns in
the state esual chance to do business
1t may be possible that the rates have
been a little too high, but the News
suestions this in view of present con-
ditions and the lack of first-class rail
way facilities over the greater part
of the state would seem to indicate
that the rates are not too high, If the
earnings of the roads are used to give
better and safer service, better de-
pots and plenty of equipment to meet
the needs of the patrons of the roads.
Aside from the injustice the change
of rates will impose on interior towns,
the News feels that this is an inop-
perfume time to make any change in
rates that will seriously affect the
revenues of the railways. The sen.
timent of the people of Mississippi
was forcibly expressed when the two
cent passenger rate was under consid-
Grafton. The sentiment was almost
unanimous that it was not a question
of lower rates but better service and
that we could not expect much devel-
opment if the railways were to be de-
prived of any revenue. This proposed
change to a mileage basis unquestion-
ably means a serious loss to the rail
ways and we do not believe that the
Commission has any data on which
to reach the conclusion that the PEG,
pie of the state are either demanding
this or will favor it. 1t is quite prop
err to thoroughly consider the interest
of the farmer, but it must be consid-
cred on the broad basis of how it eff
fects every other citizen. The man
who earns living by labor in any d.
vision of industry is entitled to just
as much consideration as the farmer
for if one suffers a loss Of income it
is bound to curtail his purchasing
power and that means restricted con-
of the farmers, products.
The farmer just now is realizing good
prices for everything he produces.
What he most needs is information
how to double his production with
the same outlay of labor and ma
terial.
The whole country has passed
through a very trying period. This
part of the South has felt it most be-
cause it has affected our industries,
shut down our mills, filled the side
tracks with empty cars and the re-
suit has been general business paral-
ysis from which we have not yet re
covered The business men of the
state who have been the hardest hit
have been hoping that with the tariff
settled there would be nothing to re-
ard the return of prosperity, but If
we are to have a revision of rates
Affecting one of the greatest revenue
producers of the railways, we may ca
poet to SEQ all railway construction
md improvement abandoned. We are
informed that the proposed rates are
ar below these Of any othor state in
he SoSth ana We feel sure that the
always Of the state. Hike the kissis-
dppi Ce1trai anAot afford this less
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