Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-12-26
Increased Cost of Operation


other phase of the problem For a
number of years the cry of the high
cost of living'' has been everywhere
abroad in the land. Time was, not
SO many years ago. when the farmer
sold his corn at 25 cents per bushel
Now it brings from so cents to IS
cents So, too he sold hogs at cents
per pound, which now readily bring
! from cents to 10 cents-while good
steer calf, which used to bring from
80 to S12, now sells for from $50 to
S25. Nobody who knows anything
about present land values or the
farmers cost of production will con-
] tend that he is not entitled to these
increased prices. As matter of fact,
unless he is an exceedingly good man.
/ ager and utilities the best of modern
| agricultural thought he is by no
means getting rich at present prices
high as they may seem to people in
the cities who do not understand the
cost attached to present-day farming.
To go back to the old prices he used
to receive would bankrupt, in little
while, every farmer in the country
be for the prices of farm products to
go still higher rather than lower.
Agriculture is the nations greatest.
fundamental industry and society
must make the farm game sufficient
ly profitable to justify the man who
is on the farm today and the farmer
boys of the future to stay by the
pillow. Much has been said recently
about the fact that the farmer does
not receive enough for what he pro-
duces-that there is too big a waste
in the channels through which his
products pass before they reach the
consumer, and that he has some
cause for complaint in this respect is
undoubtedly true. However, the
railroads can face such an inquiry
with a clear conscience-for an ex-
haustive investigation conducted by
the iLehigh Valley Railroad some
time ago shows that the farmer gets
so IL cents out of the average dol
lars worth of products he sells; the
packers, local shippers, distributors
and retailers get A 1-2 cents between
them; while the railroads receive
only cents. or one-rwentieth of the
dollar, for the transportation services
they render.
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 increase in the daily
wage of 1900 to 19l4-a period of only
four teen wears: In the case of engi-
neers it increased from S. So to S. rs,
or an increase of 80 per cent: fremen
from 1921 to So. 81, or 81 per cent:
conductors from IS. 81 to S4 50, or As
per cent; station agents from ST. 90
to S2.I6, or per cent; other station
men from S1.62 to $50, or II per
cent; ordinary trainmen from 81 81 to
s.. SO, or 20 per cent; machinists from
81. Y to s.. 81, or 20 per cent: carpen-
tiers from 81, 81 to 81 80, or u per cent:
other shopman from 81 90 to 81 20. or
IA per cent; section foreman from
81 81 TO S1.S3, or p per cent; other
trackmen from S1.15 to S1.52, or %
per cent: telegraph operators and
dispatchers from 81. 25 to $3.50, or II
per cent. This means a general aver
age increase in wages of - 20 per
cent-and all other classes of railroad
operatives and employees in more
or less similar degree. While these
advances have proven a great boon
to the nearly two million men en-
ployed in the railway service and in
creased their capacity to buy from
merchant and farmer, they have ex-
acted many millions annually from
/ the railroads Ihemselves-all of
which made the general publice rich
er, but the roads poorer. On 1900 the
railroads paid ST. "A per ton for coal.
Now they pay sl.s1. Then thsy paid
50 cents for ties. Now they pay 81
cents.
Other Increased Costs
But there are many other items
which have enormously increased the
cost of railroad operation which we
cannot go into because of lack of
space The public is constantly de-
handing a more efficient and safer
service. and hence the railroads have
had TO spend vast sums in installing
i block signals, steel passenger cars,
doing away with grade crossings,
Strengthening lines, heavier locomo-
tives, better roadbeds, and supplying
Gnav nrhar nrnf