The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-09-22

/
1t was a kind Of breadline letter,
| appealing to the almsgiving instinct
of the American people. He wanted
us to be more generous N our treat
| ment of the railroads.
He thought freight charges ought
to be increased. SO hat the railroads
might yield fair return to the men,
women and children OF this country
whose savings are invested in that in.
| dustry.
! He thought the people desired to
| treat all interests fairly. And. in
order to awaken sympathy. ne mod.
estly admitted that the railroads were
walking around on their uprers.
Even the farmers" think of it, he
declared. "even the farmers make
more than the transportation COM
panics."
! Now one frequently hears such
statements, and. therefore, let's talk
this ove. little.
Tho people of the United States
have been fairly generous 10 the rail-
roads. For instance, they have given
them over 20O,0OO.OO0 acres of land
That amounts in acreage to more land
than was included in all the thirteen
original states
The United States gave the rail-
roads as much land as it took from
King George. and after giving it to
the railroads. they called it "the saw
ings of men, women and children in.
| tn1
and now make US. pay interest on
that.
Don't you think that little grasp
ing?
If that land had been given to far
mers. 100000 Of them might have
had hundred acres each.
That is more farmers, in fact, than
actually own 100 acres in these Uni.
ted States.
In other words, we were more
friendly to the few thousand who
own the railroads than to the several
million farmers who work for a living
! Bat overlooking that little matter,
let us figure out the comparative pros
perity Of the railroads and the farm
| ers.
The United States census gives the
value of all farm property in the
country at s2O.OOo,O 100000. Poors
Manual gives the value of all railway
property at over $17,0O0,000.
In other words, all of the farms,
farm houses and barnes, cattle, ETC..
in the country are worth little more
than our precious railroads.
There are over ten Slil.icn actual
workers on the farms who toll day in
and day out to make their property
pay them even a bare living.
On the other hand. there are less
than 100000 stockholders. owning the
railroads of the country, who do not
toll to make their property yield them
a living.
In other words, it appears that
about 20O,O railroad owners own as
much property as ten million farm
workers.
Does any one really believe then.
that farmers arc more prosperous
than the owners of the railroads?
There is some pretty poor farm
property over the country. Some
| FSly "lCtShSu liouoSS Ill " AiSl Aehi u
working people live. The barns,
roads, fences and bridges are in bad
condition, and altogether the average
farmer does not seem to be overly
prosperous. while most Of the stock
holders in the railroads seem to be
very prosperous, as many of them
live in very handsome houses in the
city and own very handsome estates
in the country.
And the general impression seems
to be that the owners of the railroads
are doing fairly well, all things con-
sidered.
But let us look at facts again.
Two hundred thousand stockholders
in the railroads own about as much
property as ten million farmers; but
Hartman said these stockholders
only make 4 per cent on their prop
ertv. while the farmers make 9 per
cent
FoIr per cent of the value of the
railroads would mean roughly about
S7Oo 10000 a year
The farmers, Hartman declares,
make 9 per cent on their property,
which means that they make ST.
SOC, 100000 a year.