The daily sentinel., 1914-03-23
STOKES AGAIN
DISCUSSES THE
FREIGHT RATES
Editor Daily Sentinel:

Editor Daily Sentinel:
In the very instructive articles ap-
pearing In the Denver News from
1 day to day. both as editorials and
special articles, there is much to con-
firm my general view of the freight
rate question. We read that THE
reduction granted are chiefly bene-
ficial to jobbers in Denver in their
competition with jobbers in Chicago
and the cities on the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers. Further 1t is
pointed out that Relief in rates on
specified commodities does not reach
and never has reached the heart of
the great question of general read
1ustment," and in a leading article
II is stated that the new order will
help shippers who are injured by the
ruling in the Salt Lake case over two
years ago in relation TO commodity
rates" In view of these statements
1t is difficult to see why the writer's
endorse harassing campaign
against the railroads, the sole result
of which can only be further compli-
cations, and the effect of which can
only be to make any more or less sta
BILE readjustment more difficult. AS
the News says this readiustment
must be so ordered that the native
raw materials of Colorado will not
be penalized. no more than the raw
materials coming in or the finished
product going out" With the pro-
viso that the raw materials coming
in are essential to manufacturing.
and are not native products, the writ
er agrees with this view, but looks in
vain for any mention OF finished pro-
Al. a.s
rates on which has caused the recent
jubilation among the jobbers.
The success that has attended the
woolen mills in New England. the
Ohio pottery factories, and the cot
ton mills of the south, is specially
mentioned in the articles, this sue
cess being illustrative of what Col
orado can do. The Illustrations are
eminently satisfactory, but are hard
ly fitting to adorn a tale the subject
of which is the reduction OF freight
rates. One learns from the article
that Boston has been able to secure
rates to enable il to manufacture
woolen goods, importing its raw wool
from the west and reshipping its
product to the west, while Colorado
has not been able to, and has no
securing mills or wooen mills. One
further reads that the best native
clay is found at Golden, close to Dem
yer, and yet the low rates from Ohio
enable that state to undersell Denver
in the market for finished pottery.
Imagine manufacturers who might
contemplate settling in the west lis
tening with one ear to our appeals
to them to build their factories in
our western cities, and with the 9TH
er to our frantic demands for lower
rates. Imagine the unholy glee of
Boston at one end of the cinch and
Salt Lake City at the other, when
they are asked to assist in tighten
ing the hand cinch little more SO
that Denver may try to ride the rail-
road mule to market! Read in the
article of March I the picture of
| the south and its fight for factories,
and especially note the fact that
the south was exposed more directly
tnan the west to the merciless COM
petition of the established manufac-
turing Industries of New England, be-
cause they were nearer these man
ufacturing industries, and the wares
of the New England factories could
be shipped to them largely at low
ocean rates.
am not sufficiently posted on the
complexities of manufacturing TO
know Just what industries Colorado
can build up on such an economically
sound basis that successful marketing &
of the product will be assured. But
with all my ignorance l cannot help
| feeling convinced that lower rates on
manufactured cotton goods from the
east will not re-establish the cotton
mill of Denver with cotton grown
only 800 miles away. l cannot be-
! lleve that n ridiculously low rate to
California helps to bring settlers to
| Colorado. And | cannot believe that
these continual demands for small
petty adjustments of rates. which are
embarrassing and ruinous en- masse
to the railroads are going to help
anyone but the jobbers.
Glance over the lately published
list. and what do you find?
If YOU are n farmer, you will note
the first item with enthusiasm. Ma
nure forks and similar agricultural
implements are cut 12 cents per 100
pounds in carload lots. The rate is
still approximately l cent per pound,
80 II the good work goes on and the
rate Is entirely wiped out your next
Chicago fork may cost you nickel
less, if the jobber is liberal But l .
cents per 100 is $12 on 10000
pound car: $3.50 on a 30-car train OF
this and similar goods The railroad
that brings in this fork also brings
in the settlers and the milk COWS, and
takes out, the steers and the apples.
The rate on beans and peas is re-
duced cents. Not much, but II
won't help the price of crops. AL
falfa seed is not reduced, but why
bring 1t in at all. unless it is some
special variety. Cocoa and chocolate
are reduced So cents per 100. about
one-third per cent per pound. From
now on they will insist on serving 10
cents worth of hot chocolate in
schooners at the drug stores. Cotton
goods are down a lot because Denver
wants to start a factory and needs
patterns. Grindstones are off IA
cents per 100 pounds. How much OF
that will the farmer get, and how
often does he buy one ANYWAY? These
La. L., y n 1.tt