Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-01-28
COMPARING EASTERN AND
WESTERN RAILWAY RATES
Iowa Railroads Pay Out Millions of
Dollars Annually For Labor,
I.,aI G.tnt,IfaS and TavAS

Fuel, Supplies and Taxes
1t is a strange fact, but neverthe-
less true, that in times past the peo-
pie of the average state have not re-
garded their railroads as an indus
try"-and yet there is hardly a state
in the Union in which the railroads
do not pay out more money for labor,
fuel, and supplies than does any 9TH
er single enterprise, however large.
We brag about our fertile farm lands
and rejoice that our cities are filled
with big factories with big payrolls
which create a market for farm pro-
ducts-but we forget that more
workingmen's families depend upon
the railroads for living than upon
any other one industry in either the
average state or the nation,
n that their welfare
is therefore closely linked to that OF
the farmer, manufacturer and mer-
chant-not merely because they furn-
ish freight and passenger service, but
because the millions they disburse in
one way and another contribute tire.
mendously to the prosperity of the
state in which we live. Thus, next
to real estate, the railroads are the
largest tax payers in the state OF
Iowa-their taxes for 1914 having
aggregated $3,13S,504.27-and this
tidy sum did its full share toward
the support of every public school
public highway and other revenue
expense of the state.
In round figures the railroads oil
Iowa are valued at 1919, 1863, 24S-
money which in years gone by was
invested in these great arteries OF
commerce by thousands of men and
women who live all over the United
States and in Europe, and without
whose assistance the wonderful pro.
gress of our great state would have
been impossible. II, thirty or forty
years ago, these people had invested
their money in Iowa farm lands in
stead of Iowa railroads-would not
the investment have proven infinite
ly more profitable to them? On the
other hand, if somebody had not fur
nished the money with which to build
the railroads, what would be the pres
ent value of Iowa farm lands? Is IL
not therefore apparent that the peo-
pie of this and every other Corn Belt
outside who furnished the millions
necessary to industrial and agricul-
tural development and without which
their remarkable progress would have
been impossible?
According to the last report of the
Iowa State Railway Commission the
railroads of Iowa employed Agate
men during the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1912, and paid out to them
in salaries the sum of $31, 1922, 523,
22-and these millions did their full
share to create profitable market
for Iowa farm products and to up
hold the volume of business of Iowa
grocers, clothiers, dry goods men, and
others who depend upon the patron
age of the public. Since the above re-
port was made public forced economy
has compelled railroads to discharge
several thousand employees in this
state-but the fact remains that even
at this time they are scattering more
than $50, 100000 per year through
out Iowa in salaries to their employ
ees, as well, as paying millions OF
dollars for Iowa coal, of which they
are the heaviest purchasers. in the
state.
Thus. when the people look at the
other side of the ledger-when they
think of the millions which the rail-
roads disburse to their thousands OF
workingmen and the millions they
pay out for taxes, coal, and other