The Morning standard. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1910-191?, 1910-08-28
INCREASE IN
FREIGHT RATES

4 statement was issued Friday by
tho Salt Lake Commercial club ual-
fic bureau containing petition which
is reported as having been sent out
by A. f. Brewer, superintendent OF the
Utah division OF the Oregon Short
Line, and intended to be signed by
the shopmcn. engineers and hremen
In favor OF an Increase in freight
rates. The argument set forth In the
petition Is TO the effect that il requires
more to operate and maintain rail-
roads today than it did years ago. and
the public wishes better service now
than it did time back and should,
therefore, be willing ~ pay for 1t.
Accompanying the petition Is n
statement of the gross and net earn
ines OF the Union Pacific. the South
ern Pacific and the Denver d lilo
Grande railroads for the years 1909
and 1910 and the increase Us sworn
to to the interstate commerce com
mission Usins this TO base an arSur
mont on. the traffic bureau contends
that the rates should be reduced In
stead of increased The statement
In full follows.
Brewers Letter.
Oregon Short Line Railroad Company
Salt Lake City. Aug s, 1910,
Petition for increase in freight
rates
Mcssrs. ]. H. Race, O. Aim and n.
c. Price
Gentlemen-INattach hereto sheets
of blank petitions TO enable you to
secure the signature OF shop men, al
so engineers and firemen, who are
willing TO subscribe their names In
support of securing an increase In the
freight rates. which, under present
conditions, we consider justifiable.
Ii Is requested that all employees
except common laborers sign this pc
tition, il being fully understood how
ever, that there Is no compulSion In
the matter; it is to be purely volun-
tory. II any of the men have objec-
tions to signing 1t will be desirable
to secure their reasons therefor. mere
ly as matter of information. As
this information is required between
now-and August %. wish you would
act promptly in tho matter, endeavor
to obtain twenty-five signatures on
tdtI DcllllOu 90 Audl uD
sheets will be required, and / also
wish you would keep the sheets as
clean as possible Extra sheets will
be furnished on application.
Yours truly.
(Signed) A. F. BREWER,
superintendent.
The Petition.
AS citizens Of this country. we be-
lieve in fair profits and good wages.
AS railroad employees. we know that
our prosperity is inseparabIy associ.
ated with the prosperity of the rail
road
We support the railways in their ef.
forts to secure a higher rate for the
transportation they furnish. 1t costs
more now in labor, material, taxes.
etc. to operate the railways than
it ever did before. The public de-
mands faster time, greater safety,
more accommodations, better equip
for better brains la management and
greater efficiency on the part of the
employees The public ought to be
willing to pay for them.
Increased rates for transportation
will assure the regularity OF our em,
ployment and the stability OF our
earnings, and in all fairness this is
due us as well as the roads. We urge
all who have to do with the rate ques-
whether the interstate COM
merce commission, state railway or.
public service commissions, national
and state leglslators-to deal fairly
with this vital question. We believe
In reasonable regulation and efficient
laws, state and national for that pur-
pose. We believe that Just and reas-
enable regulation requires frank rec.
ognition Of existing conditions, and
that the railroads must have reason
able increases in their rates In order
to respond efficiently to the demands
made upon them by the public. The
fund from which our wages are paid
cannot be constantly depleted with
out hurting us. We know, too, that
transportation rates have had moth
Ing to do with the increased cost OF
living.
AS employees OF the Oregon Short
Line Railroad company, we amx our
signatures here below as in harmony
with the above declaration and au-
thorl2e their presentation to the In
terstate commerce commission. state
railroad commissions or 10 any Official,
federal or state, who has anything to
do with railroad rate making or rail-
road regulation
Statement Of Earnings.
Cross and net earnings of the fol
lowing railroads for the fiscal years
ending June so. under the sworn state
ments to the interstate commerce
commission.
Union Pacific system:-
G-oss. Net.
1910 ....SSS.5OG.iGi $iS,373, 7S2
1909 =. .,.. 77,361,i23 i0.S57 352
Increase S11,1i6,04l 2.5lG,4 $50
Southern Pacific (Pacilic System)
1910 =. e.. ...,S95. .1S9 0Oi $42 ,5G0.474
1903 o.. 49,. Sl.402,177 95,522, ,225
Increase .SlS, ,f3G 1885,
Denver C Rio Grande System
1910 o.. D.. s23,5G3 ,4SG 5 7.O8S.249
1909 e.. go. 20,S76,571 6.422 .997
Increase IS 2.6SG.SG5 $ 1.337,lS5
Under the above statement of earn.
ings 1t is difficult to see wherein any