The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-08-15
Reasoning In A
Circle Or do Good
Wagon Roads Pay

Tbns did 81 Hawkins, a plain. un
Rre0red, but hardhe rde1 farmer, pune
flJe the labored philosophy of high
HtOWed exponent o, domestic econo-
sqairs, who had just clmaxed an ad-
alpass to gathering of farmers with
abe statement that the cause of high
JlFices and the high cost of living is
freight Gates, aud the cure is reduc.
tion in rates"
y am only plain farmer continu.
"A Hawkins. but |. too, have given
che high cost Of living some thought;
MOI, however in rocking chair in a
sichly furnished study but in lum.
cr wagon up to the hubs in mud, and
while walking between the handles OF
a pillow. That Is the college in which
4 matriculated what | know of econo-
Bnics
Before this, too had formed
some opinions from garnished sophis-
iry which found In books and speech.
Oh by theorists and office-seekiDg poll.
Eirians, but it was hauling half load
al hogs to market the other day over
a road knee-deep in mud that made
me realize there were other things
uhan freight rates involved in the high
cost of living. | had n case of eggs
at my feet on one side and q tub OF
butter on the other, both bringing
good prices that mother-bless her
than other women in silks--cautioned
rne against reckless driving
"A new idea came to me. 1t was
that by giving the consumer the bene
ait of the waste that attaches to ex-
listing methods and conditions. we
could by this alone greatly reduce the
cost of living.
That set me to figuring II took
me whole day with team and wagon
10 haul 1900 lbs OF hogs the ten miles
| had to go. At the rate of $3.50 per
day for team and driver, ! easily as
certained that the wagon haul, with
ont allowing anything for repairs or
Keeping of myself and team. was cost
ing l6 cents ton per mile. Great
Heavens, that was over sixty-one
times more than the average charge
ton per mile by the railroads, as
shown by the receipts of the Interna.
tional Commerce Commission and
yet everybody seeking to reduce the
high cost of living was bitterly in.
Weighing against railroad rates and
blindly marching behind blind leaders
TO that end. When roads were not
muddy, | hauled $500 lbs to a load
and yet that was 2S cents ton per
mile, or over thirty-seven times more
than the average charge by the rail,
roads. The reports of the Interstate
Commerce Commission showed that
the average cost by the railroad was
~ OF a cent a ton per mile.
In pamphlet issued by the Depart
menI of Agriculture read that th'
farmers of several states, particular
~ the farmers of Pennsylvania, by thu
construction of good roads had douh
led their wagon loads and thereby dc
creased .,s cost OF wagon transports
zion 30 per cent. That meant on poo
roads saving of % cents ton pc
vnile and OH the dry roads basis say
Sng at "a cents ton per mile,
when | realized that this emo
rnous waste applied to all the grea
aarm crops of this great country--fo
every pound or ton OF surplus tari
products must be moved by wagon
yhe cars or elevators at the railwa
station was staggered, first AT u
enormous waste and second at II
sstnpIdir OF so-called economic philo
ophy 1t cost me $3.50 TO haul l6'
abs. whereas with good roads ! cou
maui 5000 lbs at the same cost, sho'
ing very clearly TO me that on u
gyat ON ulll ! had a clean waste al
loss az ~ per cent. The avera
amount | would have to pay the ia
I'd fer hauling the same load I
same distance is less than cen
An other words, for what It cost l
$3.50 the railroads do it for less tn
d cents. and the average amount
railroad charges me is actually ID
than 3 per cent OF the amount II
is wasted in the wagon haul,
"a got l-3 cents pound for
nogs that day, 2s cents for the but
and 25 cents dozen for the eg
When l computed the cost Of wal
maui on my hogs and ascertained t
Il was 2 10 cents pound, and vi
iust before going home | stopped
Ii. M Ia Tho hIii q