The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-26
IMPROVE RURAL
LIFE IS THE AIM
Continued From Page one.

4 &0MAANES HSEE ku1A$ kdCEUE&L N&AtGk
Of Madison, Ia. editor Of farm jour-
nal Mr.. Quick said, while the rela-
lions between the farmers and the
railroads are not always amicaDIe, It
was the farmers who really built the
railroads and were then neatly beaten
out OF their interests"
Mr.. Quick placed emphasis upon
freight rates as an index not only 20
the farmers profit but to the general
cost OF living. He charged that rail-
ways In fixing rates often connived
with great population centers to the
detriment Of smaller cities and the
country In general.
Mr.. Quick enumerated several Ia
stances OF cooperation between farm
err and railway, of the Introduction uf
improved breeds of live stock along
the lines of his system by President
Hill OF the Great Northern, Of the
maintaining Of demonstration farms
on Long island by the Pennsylvania,
and OF the running of educational
trains for the purpose Of bringing ag-
ricultural science into touch with the
farmers. Railway aid to agriculture,
he said, has grown TO be fashion.
But all these fine things" he con-
tinued, have been done and are still
done with an eye single to tonnage.
We may trust the enlightened selfish
ness OF good business to push this
sort OF activity to the Ilmit Of its
profit. But in the great task Of con-
servation do the railways owe any
duty to the farms beyond what they
are now performing? This phase has
yet to be worked out.
The greatest transportation facts
faced by the American people is the
| problem of developing remote parts OF
the country II the building OF a ma
tional system OF waterways be re-
sorted to, the aid Of the railways must
still be demanded IL success is to be
obtained.
The railways of the United States
have enormously retarded agricultural
developments and added to the ex-
pense of living, by permitting the lodg-
ment in our transportation system OF
that industrial parasite. the express
company. The express companies per-
form practically no functions which
do not belong to the railways. Every
dollar of the huge profits which the
express companies make Is a burden
upon industry, unnecessary and unjust.
THE farmer must be placed in such
condition that he can worknup trade
In the city and ship I'm small pack
ages to the consumer at just rates"
i Mr.. Quick then took up the matter OF
rate making in the interests OF ma
tional development. As regards ma
tional questions, he said, the railways
must be enlisted in such policies ms
may be dictated by patriotism.
The whole structure OF rates. he
declared, 'as they now exist is de-
yised 10 favor the long haul to and
from market, and make up with refer
ence to the demand OF certain trade
centers. and certain powerful fnan-
cial interests. some of which are close
ly allied to ownership Of the rail-
way" He referred to the history Of
rates on the border line between the
gulf trade basin and the territory OF
the railways running to Chicago and
the Atlantic ports. The farmers OF
Oklahoma Kansas, Nebraska, Colora-
do and much other territory, he said.
are entitled to the near outlet by way
OF the gulf The battle he declared,
was fought out not along lines
best for the nation but with sole ref
erence to the interests OF railways
The building Of the gulf line was
robbed OF its benefits to the farm
er. Rates were so adjusted, and still
are, as to make the gulf lines as
bad for the farmer as the Atlantic
states, instead OF making the old lines
as good as the new should be. The
present railway situation Is full of
such anomalies"
"one can scarcely conceive" Mr..
Quick said, "of such complete de-
velopment I'm Iowa, Nebraska, the Da-
kotas or Oklahoma. as has been at
tanned In some European countries and
yet 1T In merely a question of trans
portation. II II cannot be accom-
plished by land carriages, he declared.
the nation viii have to have recourse
to waterways. The desired end, he
said. might be attained through ske
use of 'tapering rates, that lis, by
rates which increase not with the dis
lance. but on some basis which gives
the remote points a less tariff than
the nearby points. AS an instance OF
the benefit OF tapering rates he re-
ferred 10 the rates on citrus fruits
from Pacific coast points east. The
rate on oranges and lemons Ia all
points east Of Denver, or from Chcy-
enne. Wyo, to Eastport, Me-, is the
same.
u 1nB state OF iowa Is ChfcA go Is
back field, and Iowa's population ID
shrinking. This fact alone Is srough
to condemn the rate system which
permits It. The Texas system ID based
on the theory that many medium
sized towns and cities are to be pre-
ferred for the agricultural welfare Of
the state to one or two overgrown.
municipalities with rates made to
stimulate their growths at the ex-
pense OF the rest. This has been ac-
| complished by the establishment of
maximum freight charge. Thus. while
such places at. Galveston, Houston,
Dallas, Fort Worth and Waco are
! among the most prosperous towns OF
their Size In the country. they are
constantly meeting the competition of
that numerous class OF smaller Texas
cities, the unsupported presence Of
which IL such constant surprise t0
the traveller from the north.
The question OF what transportation
has 10 do with soil fertility. and de-
velopment was then taken up BY Mr.
Quick. Potash. nitrogen. lime and
other chemicals, he explained. must
be got to the land from whatever
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