Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1912-08-29
ANSWERS THE FARMER
Boise, Idaho, Aug. 19, 1912.

The Enterprise OF August 10 con
tains letter signed "a Farmer
which | cannot pass without some
notice. | desire to call particular at
tention to one paragraph. "A Farmer
says;
Once since | have been here
\ had my potatoes to rot on my hands
and the very day l hauled them out
! to dump them in a sink hole | read
! in a Kansas paper where potatoes
were selling at s1.2O bushel. That
Lieant that you could have had $3.50
per 100 pounds for your spuds by
paying s1.SO to get them to that mar
ket".
Your correspondent is evidently
trying to create the impression that
the freight rate on potatoes from
Payette Kansas points is $1.S0 per
100 pounds. If he had taken the
trouble to make inquiry he would
have learned that tie rate is so
cents per 100 pounds, car lo1ds.
But, without knowing anything
whatever about the rate, "A Farmer"
proceeds to dip his pen in vitriol and
condemn the railroads to everlasting
damnation. For the benefit of "A
Farmer ! desire to say that rail
road rates on IdaEo's outbound pro-
ducts are exceptionally low. On these
rates Idaho hay was shipped last
spring 10 Brunswick, Maine, to New
York City, Philadelphia and all in
termediate markets. 1t was shipped
also to the extreme southeast.
Idaho apples, Payette apples, if
you please, go to all the markets of
the nation. Our grain goes every
where. Now isn't it perfectly obvi-
Gus that, If the rates were as ex-
tortionate as "a Farmer would
have the public believe, it would be
for any Idaho producer
to market his output anywhere?
The Oregon Short Line is doing
its honest test to promote the vel
fare of the people it serves. Every
officer of the road and every emp
lcyee realizes thoroughly that unless
the patrons of the road are prosper
ous the company cannot prosper. The
Idaho producer has been given aud
Is constantly being given the most
careful attention. CONCESSION after |
has been made to him.
No effort has beeen spared along |
this line. There has never been. a
time when the producer could not 1
get a fair hearing from the railroad
and an equitable adjustment o. mis-
The Oregon Short Line manage
nent claims no special credit for
his condition because it realizes that
I'll permanent prosperity newt
IDLY rests on TIE prosperity of the
producer. But, Mr.. Editor, it is dis
,ouraging sometimes to read unjust.
Unfair and unfriendly criticism.
No railroad is free from s'ns of o.
mission and of commission. All of
hem are run by individuals who are
ust as apt to err as any other hui
nan beings. And, by the same tok-
N. l do not suppose "A Farmer
limself is absolutely perfect. 1t is
aid that harsh words break no
zones, but it is also true that they
10 not win any argument.
"a Farmer" suggests that freight
rain loaded with various fruits, po-
atoes. ETC., be hauled to market
t actual cost of transportation, plus
reasonable profit on the invest
nent in order that the people may
ee just how numerically they are
obbed by not owning the railroads
themselves. If it were granted that
he actual cost of such movement
ould be figured cut, and | suppose
A Farmer can certainly do it, 1t
;ould be found that the commodities
e names are moved at so low
rofit that, if that profit formed the
leasure of net returnes the rail-
Dads wouI be forced out of busi-
ess. JSaswould find, too, that Am
rican- railroad rates are lower than
ny IN the world, including rates on
Dads owned by governments.
/ would like for "A Farmer" to
tudy the rates charged by the Pan
ma railroad, line owned by our
wn government. There is not time
ere to go into details but l can as
ure him the Panama tariffs are
Many times higher than those of
he privately owned lines and am '
to prove it to his satisfac-
ion.
1t is impossible fer me to believe |
A Farmer" represents any consid- I
rable portion of Your community. :
strongly suspect that he walked up !
ne morning with crouch. got out |
{ bed on the wrong side, failed to
q, anv Satisfaction ont of kicking :