The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1914-10-16

HuitNItEtIl pIuutabie 10 JUSTIFY lnC
man who is on the farm today and the
farmer boys of the future to stay by
the plow. Much has been said recent
~ about the fact that the farmer does
not receive enough for what he pro-
ducc,-thaL there is too big waste
IN the channel, through which his pro-
ducts pass before they reach the con-
sumner and that he has some cause for
complaint in this respect is undoubt-
eddy true. However, the railroads
can face such an inquiry with clear
conscience-for an exhaustive inves-
tigation conducted by the Lchigh Val
ley Railroad some time ago shows that
the farmer gets so l-2 cents out of
the average dollars worth of products
he sells, the packers, local shippers,
distributors and retailers "A l-2 cents
between them, while the railroads re-
ceive only cents or one-twentieth of
the dollar for the freight services
they render.
So, too, there has been steady ad-
vance in practically the entire realm
of merchandise and manufactured pro-
ducts, whatever their nature. and the
ever increasing toll in the cost of la
Dor, steel products, lumber, cars, To-
comotives and other supplies has lev
led tribute of untold millions upon
the railroads which have not only
been forbidden to increase their rates
but on the contrary. in many instances
compelled to lower them.
Big Increased Cost of Labor.
To give the reader an exact idea OF
how the cost of labor has advanced in
the operation Of railroads we quote
the following increases in the daily
wage from 1903 to l9l3--a period of
only 10 years: In the case Jf engi-
neers it increased from $4.0l per day
in 1902 to 1924 in 1913 or an adj
vance Of 30 per cent, frpmen from
SIPS 70 S3.l6 or 80 per cent; con-
ductors from S3.3S to SAB, or 81 per
cent; other trainmen from 2.i7 to
S3.06, or Al pei cent; machinists from
$3.50 to S3.2S. Or 81 per cerr--ard all
other classes OF railroad operatives
and employees in a more or less sim
liar degree. While these advances
have proven a great boon to thc nearly
two million men employed in the rail
way service and increased their ca
pacity to buy from merchant and
farmer, they have exacted many mil
lions annually from the railroads
themsclves-all of which made the
general public hetter off, tut the
roads poorer.
Other Increased Costs.
But there are. many other items
which have enormously increased the
cost of railroad operation which we
cannot go into 5scause of n TACK of
space The public is constantly de-
handing a more efficient and safer
service and HENCE the railroads have
had to spend rast sums in installing
block signals, steel passenger cars,
doing away with grade crossings,
strengthening Lines, heavier locomo-
tives, better road beds, and supplying
many other precautions protecting
both their operatives and the public
all things very necessary, yet very
costly.
Now, while Labor, farm products,
merchandise and manufactures and
supplies of all kinds have steadily in
creased in price, the railroads as
stated before, have been compelled to
reduce their rates in the face of this
avalanche of ever-advaucing cost of
operation-and that all but the most
powerful lines find themselves in an
exceedingly critical condition is not
to be wondered at The farmer, the
merchant. the manufacturer and the
laborcr justly insist that they would
not be able to get along on the prices
they received ten or fifteen years ago.
How, then, can the railroads, which
are the largest employers of labor
and buyers of material in the United
States be expected to exist on less
than they received ten or fifteen years
ago? In view Of these facts, it is no
wonder that President Wilson and
other patriotic and careful students
of the situation are speaking words
of kindly admonition to the American
public to the end that the railroads
through whose giant arteries flows the
very life-blood of the nation may not
be wrecked and destroyed. ADV.
Ito be continued next week.