Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-06-05

States. u would add 100000 80 =
year to their net revenues. This
would Immediately insure the stahil-
ity Of railroad securities and enable
the roads to sell the securities ON at
least . per cent basis. Moreover,
an increase Of $100. 1000. 900 In yeariy
revenue would pay interest On $780,
100000 Of new securities which they
could sell 1t 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 put
the same into service improvements
to the roads on every right Of way
would give employment and reQnire
produce to feed men and horses and
thus put money direct into local CON-
munities. The turning Of an army Of
half . million or more idle men. who
are now idle because Of the partial
suspension Of railroad activity, into
IN army Of half ., million workers.,
working full time, would make half .
million better consumers OF food, pro-
duce and clothing. possibly dive times
half q million, including their. fxni-
lies. Upon the instant that the lnter-
state Commerce Commission Issues
its permission for this per cent IN
crease In rates the business q the
country viii break from the bonds
which are now holding Il In leash and
We win see such prosperity - the
most sanguine have never expected.
This ID the opinion 1T least Of - men
out Of every thousand who have Given
serious, sober, unbiased and enlgAt-
ened thought to this subject.
Al farmers, We have perhaps more
to gain through railroad prosperity
than any other class. Il Il True We
have felt their heavy hand when they
took their toll Of grain - We shipped
our annual harvest or when thsy have
taken their 80 pounds Of flesh nom
every carcass sent to the yarda But
those heavy rates Of old which seemed
excessive were perhaps necessary In
pioneer days when populatioa WAS
scattered and traffic was light Those
days have passed. II We still nurse
. grievance for ancient wrongs, let ~
reflect on the gain In the value q our
farms which they would not possess Il
they were not within hauling digtanco
to the steel road. Do We stop 70 CON
slider that the value Of fArm land In
Montana has increased 80 per cent IN
the last five years owing to the build
ing Of new railroads In that stato3
know personally 1t this moment Of
one beautiful little valley where hey
are raising 80 to 20 bushels Of winter
wheat to tho acre, the finest hard
wheat that man ever ate. Il = worth
e3c In Chicago, but they are feeding
It to the hogs because there isn't .
railroad within 20 miles. There = one
surveyed. in fact half built; Why y It
not finished? Because there u no
money available and the company car
not sell it, bonds to ADVANTAGE. When
that road ID completed farm land IN
that valley win be marked mp 100
per cent We farmers are ~w1oed up''
. bit, ~ they say out west, ana don't
believe now that the railroad = tie
worst pest In existence.
And the business man. too. had .
second thought II occurs to hin now
that It b better to stand . s per cent
increase In freight than lose . e Per
cent increase In business. That y Why
su0 S1sSo8O ADoOC48S1O0 " CO@@oICos
~ wen - other similar bodies. b not
opposing the increase. but are rather
favoring Il Honorable Charles A.
Prouty. who. - long chairman of the
Interstate Commerce Commissiou, has
rendered more decisions on rates Id
verse to the railroads than any cher
man, said before . large body Of ship
pers. July 16. 1919: II think. gentlomen.
that what We may term the danger
point IN the railroad situation has vory
radically changed. Twenty-Five years
ago the danger point was the dieesim-
ination between shippers. Twenty-Five
pears ago the danger point was the
Unreasonable rata. Today the danger
point n my opinion, = neither II
those. The danger. point today,
think, n the inadequate service ana
inadequate facilities. ! think that 10
day e - Just q much the duty q the
Commiooion to go that the ra1lroodo
yield TO them . fair return - 4 = -
see that no Unreasonable roeo =
charged the shippee. and bol1svo
this b IN TIE HIGHEST interest q Tie
shipper himself. What I desire 20 -
remember b this, that II that tins
comes u WIN b the duty Of tie Con-
mission 70 permit that advanca. That
would not only b IN act e juDt1oe,
which you believers n TIE square
deal would approve, but which Woul6
also conserve IN the hikhest. degree
your interest - shippsgS."
The case b ~ 70 he jury. bseers
rsadsring your verdict y0u Win HI
your eye 70 read that danger Glgna1
which flames against The o1y abovo
our world 1t business: 4 = H. eane
signal that stands at every railroad
crossing In the land:
STOP! Lo0Kll LISTENll!"
~e~~e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~es~eer~~
T;ssgty Ysars
ABROAD oltuatieM IN . Nsvtshsl1s