Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-14
ADVERTISEMENT.
FARMER VITALITY CON-
CERNED IN Rail ROADS
WHAT THE EUROPEAN WAR MEANS TO THE
AMERICAN FARMER

CxANMCN
to ~ into such . weakened physical
| condition that they will break down
under the strain OF delivering the pro-
ducts of the farmer and the manufac-
turer at our ocean ports and thus
largely waste the great opportunity for
profit which the foreiSn war will un-
questionably bring to usf This 10 q
phase OF tho present situation which
commands the serious thought Of ev-
cry farmer in Iowa and ths corn belt
generally-for here II where the lions
share Of the nations foodstuffs are
produced and hero Ia where farmers
can not afford to be hampered by in
| adequate transportation facilities IL
they are to make the most Of favorable
| market opportunities.
There is not q single manager Of a
central or western railroad who will
not admit that the present supply OF
first-class freight locomotives and box
cars could not successfully meet the
requirements Of several bountiful crop
years-and yet they haven't the funds
with which to supply this equipment
and thus DO prepared Cor the emer-
gency when II comes-as 1t undoubted-
ly will.
Farmers Will Profit,
In this connection. it .s opportune
to say that tho American farmer is
certain to reap larger profit from
the chaotic conditions which exist in
Europe than any other class of
tradesmen or citizen. So far as our
manufacturers are concerned, while
new markets are undoubtedly beckon-
ing to the United States, yet, on the
other hand. for several years to
come. the splendid trade which we
| enjoyed in Germany, England, France,
Austria and Russia on our manufac-
tured products Ia certain to remain
demoralized-and thus we will be
fortunate II we do not lose more than
we can hope to gain in new fields.
with whose needs we arc not yet ia
miliar and to which 1t IL certain to
| require some years to adjust our
selves.
It is the American farmer, how
ever. who has no complications ahead
OF him, and whose flour. pork, beef.
mutton and other foodstuffs must be
depended upon to make up the short
age which fs already looming big in
the distance because the harvest fields
OF the most fertile sections of Europe
have been converted into a shambles
| for the contending armies. Exports of
breadstuffs from the United States In
November were valued at $40, 250.00 or
almost four times as much as in No
vember of 1913. while meat and cattle
| exports amounted to nearly $4,000. 900.
or gain Of over 20 per cent over 1913.
and this despite our miserable ship
ping facilities on the high seas.
In the light of these facts. was there
ever time when the farmers OF Iowa
and other corn belt states caniview the
future with as much assurance. or
| when they can. 10 well afford to treat
fairly every other great industry In tho
| nation a. now?
Putting 1t in the terms OF sound
business policy. was there ever a time
when they should do their part to the
end that American labor may be profit
ably employed in all the great channels
Of industry, and that our Transports
ton system may be kept up 10 q high
point Of efficiency, 10 that It may ade-
quately discharge the heavy shipping
| burdens which will undoubtedly de-
| scend upon It in the not distant future
Railroads and Land Values.
No other single agency in the nation
has had more to do with the advance
ment OF land values than have the
railroads. and as evidence Of this fact
the proximity Of q farm to the market
almost invariably fixes It's selling value.
In no other state has this been more
true than in Iowa-the richest agri-
| cultural state In the union, with q per
capita of farm wealth which in amount
and equity Of distribution is not
equaled by any other commonwealth.
AS between the man who bought Iowa
land twenty or thirty years ago
and the man who bought Iowa rail-
road securities at that time, who has
had the best OF It? And yet, did not
the men who Furnished the money with
which Iowa railroads were built. con :
tribute tremendously toward the great
enhancement in land values which has
taken place in this state? Would this
enhancement, which amounts to hun
dreds Of millions Of dollars. have been
possible without the railroads?
In round numbers. Iowa has about
| 100000 acres Of farm land. Accord
Ing to the U. s. census reports there
was an increase Of ITO per cent In tho
value OF Iowa farm lands from 1900 to
1910-a period OF ten years. During
the four years which have elapsed in
tu0 uIOhhSabAAO ~ S~h ~ssAUAJ ~ S's-ss
MATED that the increase has been
drought up TO at least 100 per cent.
Perhaps, taking tho state ~ . whole.
farm lands have enhanced somewhere
around $T5 per acre during the above
4 period-but upon even 20 low basis
az $50 per acre the enhanced land
values OF Iowa have added i.7b0. 0o0,-
900 to the wealth Of Iowa farmers dur
ing the last fourteen years. In view
of these facts 10 It not the interest OF
the farmers OF this state to insist upon
a square deal'' for the railroads?
As a matter Of fact, were Il not 80
tremendously far reaching in its eff
feet the controversy over slight In
crease in railroad rates In any great
agricultural state would largely 70.
semble tempest 10 teapot--a mat
tier which should be settled in the brief
] space OF time required to apply the
remedy. When private industry.
great or small. advances the price OF
; its commodities we take II az matter
|. OF course and say nothing about IT.
and in the past we have opposed adj
! vances for the railroads largely per.
haps because the attention of the pec-
pie has never been directed to theil
Importance to the community ana the
J nation, because they were angered q
, occasional abuses which strict g0v-
ernmental regulation has forever elm
! mated and because for some years de-
st~uSnv ,,olitlca1 ODnOrtuniata have