Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-04
RAILROADS ISSUE
APPEAL TO PEOPLE
Hint at Hard Times If They Are
Not Permitted to Increase
Freight Rates.
BEHIND ON MAINTENANCE
siasson Thompson. Head OF Publicity
Bureau. says Must he Raise or
Face Bankruptcy.

Chicago, juno 3.--Simultaneous APP
ooais 10 the people were made here to-
lay by the western railroads and by
he Illinois Manufacturers association.
frhe railroads submitted their brief to
i the man in the street and the farmer"
Uniting hard time n the railroads are
not permitted to increase their freight
ates. The manufacturers tell tho peo-
i3lc not to be deceived AZ there ~ no
Hanger OF panic. and laud President
traft for his action In obtaining the in
Junction for prohibiting the increase
ION behalf OF the railroads. Slasson
irhompsOh. head Of the railroad pub
lefty bureau. put forward -four rca-
, cons why railroad rates must be
/ aised"
L According TO MI Thompson. the rail-
loads in tho last two years are S220,O00,-
90 behind on maintenance: they paid
tl3o,O0O,uOc more annually Tor labor;
I hey paid SlO0, 900, 900 more annually for
q interest; they lost $4,000 600 annually
bn passenger trnnlc. with the result
= hat they are S7S00OO.000 10 the bad In
4 wo years.
Railway rates must be- advanced be.
irause many companies face bankruptcy
~ they are not" said Mr. Thompson.
hranted at Hannibal, Mo. on n side
I sstie. irrespective OF the Justice of the
advance. on * parte representation,
without notice and without proper
weighing Of the consequences, may ex.
sledite, but Is powerless 20 entoin. why
>his Is so may he briefly stated in
crins that the man In the street IN
he workshop and on the farm can un-
lerstand and appreciate In the end II
IS this man la the street who must
gear the brunt of any Ill saster that be-
Falls the American railway system"
( Then, for the benefit OF the man In
Che street. Mr. Thompson quotes rail
Dad statistics as far back as 1897 to
irove the contention that the railroads
'ace ruin unless rates are raised. These
iftatistlcs win bo printed In pamphlet
iorm and widely distributed.
MIR. Thompson declares that the ship
ers have been grossly deceived. and
harges the Associated shippers hui
eau of Cincinnati with practising the
y eceptlon
. FOR more than 20 years" declared
Afr. Thompson. 'the charge has never
zen made seriously that average
Freight rates on American railways
isere unreasonable per Sc. on the con-
\ rnry, II is the testimony OF all lii
estigators that they are the lowest In
ihe world IL they have been reason
BILE for 20 years and the service is
Wore costly now than ever, IL In evt-
ent that any slight advance now CAN
OF make them unreasonable"
II The resolutions adopted by the MI
1ois Manufacturers association charge
ine officials OF certain railroads With
& cling IN concerted movement to make
Inc people believe that the shippers and
tonsumers are making unfair demands
md that another financial crisis IL lm-
Vending.
The manufacturers call upon the peo-
" lie to hold up the hands of the govern
ilent and demand that 1.-The whole
uestion OF the advance or the reduc-
h on OF freight rates shall at this time
Ind at all future times he presented to
Inc Interstate commerce commission FOR
nal adjudication"