The Nevada County picayune., 1914-06-05

roads, but to the roads of the United States, it would add $100, ,0O0,O 900 @ year to their net revenues. This
 would immediately insure the stabil- ity of railroad securities and enable the roads to sell the securities on at
 least 5 per cent basis. Moreover. an increase of $100,000, 900 in yearly revenue would pay interest on $2,000.- 00O,000 of new securities which they could sell at par and put the money into new equipment. bigger terminals and double track. This money would
 be put into circulation two-thirds of it among workmen who could start at once to manufacture material and but the same into service. Improvements to the roads on every right of way would give employmeL. and require produce to feed men and horses and thus put money direct into local com munities. The turning of an army of half a million or more idle men, who are now idle because of the partial suspension of railroad activity, into an army of half a million workers.
 working full time would make half a million better consumers of food. pro- duce and clothing, possibly five times half a million, including their fami- lies. Upon the instant that the Inter- state Commerce Commission issues its permission for this per cent in- crease in rates the business of the country will break from the bonds which are now holding it in leash and we will see such prosperity as the most sanguine have never expected. This is the opinion at least of 999 men out of every thousand who have given serious. sober, unbiased and enlight- ened thought to this subject.
 AS farmers, we have perhaps more to gain through railroad prosperity than any other class. It Is true we have felt their heavy hand when they took their toll of grain as we shipped our annual harvest or when they have taken their 50 pounds of flesh from every carcass sent to the yards But those heavy rates of old which seemed excessive were perhaps necessary in pioneer days when population was scattered and traffic was light Those days have passed If we still nurse a grievance for ancient wrongs, let us reflect on the gain in the value of our farms which they would not possess if they were not within hauling distance to the steel road. Do we stop to con slider that the value of farm land in Montana has increased 50 per cent in the last five years owing to the build ing of new railroads in that state? I know personally at this moment of one beautiful little valley where they are raising 30 to 40 bushels of winter wheat to the acre, the finest hard wheat that man ever ate. It is worth 92c in Chicago, but they are feeding It to the hogs because there isn't railroad within 20 miles. There is one surveyed, in fact half built; why is 1t not finished? Because there is no money available and the company can not sell it's bonds to advantage. When that road is completed farm land in that valley will be marked up 100 per cent. We farmers are "wised up" bit, as they say out west, and don't believe now that the railroad is the worst pest in existence.
 And the business man. too, had a second thought. It occurs to him now that it is better to stand 5 per cent increase in freight than lose a 50 per cent increase in business. That is why the Chicago Association of Commerce, as well as other similar bodies, is not opposing the increase, but are rather favoring it. Honorable Charles A. Prouty, who, as long chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission, has rendered more decisions on rates ad- verse to the railroads than any other man, said before large body of ship pers. July Is, 1912: q think, gentlemen, that what we may term the danger point in the railroad situation has very radically changed Twenty-Five years ago the danger point was the discrim- ination between shippers. Twenty-Five years ago the danger point was the unreasonable rate. Today the danger point, in my opinion, is neither of those. The danger, point today, I think, is the inadequate service and inadequate facilities. I think that to- day 1t is just as much the duty of the Commission to see that the railroads are given reasonable rates which will yield to them fair return as it is to see that no unreasonable rate is charged the shipper and I believe this is in the highest interest of the shipper himself What I desire you to | remember is this, that if that time | comes it will be the duty of the Com mission to permit that advance. That would not only be an act of justice, which you believers in the square deal would approve. but which would | also conserve in the highest degree your interest as shippers
 The case is up to the jury, before rendering your verdict you will lift | your eye to read that danger signal which flames against the sky above our world of business; 1t is the same signal that stands at every railroad crossing in the land:
 STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!i"
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