Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-01-20
FARMER VITALITY CON
CERNED IN RAILROADS
What The EUROPEAN war MEANS TO THE
AMERICAN FARMER.

mean a higher price for what the
farlner has 10 sen and that it would
be reflected In the receipts or every
merchant ana the output OF every
factory In the nation: -.
l. In view OF such q serious state OF
affairs, can the average farmer OF
business imam afford 10 oppose the
small increase in rates winch is ne
cessary to once more put the rail-
roaus upon q ,sounu basis! Is not
the amount . OF passen ger fare or
!lrH.2hL Wnlch .rne average farmer OF
oLherF citizen pays out curing the
year a, mere tDagatehe %nen meas
ured against the lucrative employ.
ulent a.o the buying power OF the
millions Of American laboring men?
Another Serious Phase.
OF labOr, Lnere rs another very ser
lous phase OK this problem winch call
ior proiounA thought at The nan0s or
lne Iar4uer. IN last weeks article
aA thinking clCzens, ana especially
peraae efforts to make both ends
Met many ra:lOaQs are burning
t.ne cand4e at both ends that in or.
nxep Gut OF the nallns OF receivers
the rolling stock anu roaubeds or
many 'lnes have been neteriorating
rapidly tor a. nuulber, OK years anQ
helice are in no poslmon ito handle a
tdg season s tonnage, should the
strain Ot heavy crop year suddenly
cescena upon them. That the great
foreign war will produce the highest
prices ever known for the fooostut1s
produced by the farmer is admitted
ON all han0s, and II there ever was
a time when he Will need adequate
lan1& efficient shipping facilities it
WlI De during the next two or three
years -ann yet we are actually
racing perhaps the most prosperous
period the American farmer has ev.
ar known with many american rail.
roads in dilapidated physical con:
.Hltion.t No sooner HAD the great Eu-
ropean war burst on the word than
congress realized ,tnat our merchant
marine was utterly weak and rneffi-
Gent. Steps were at once taken to
repair as speedily as possible our ne
glectea shipping iaclnues upon the
NIGH .seaS-anu that the handicap has
already cost the American people mil.
lions OF dollars during the last few
months is so patent that it requires
no extended comment 1t is one
thing to have markets in all parts Of
the world which have heretofore been
supplied by the great warning ma
tons begging forAmerican goods and
YooaStutks-but it II quite another
thing to have American ships in
which to deliver these 'cargoes.
$ There is not single manager of
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 It the
funds with which to supply this
equipment and thus be prepared for
the emergency when it comes-as it
undoubtedly will. -, Z
az Farmers Will Profit.
In this connection, it is opportume
to say that the American farmer is
certain to reap larger profit from
the chaotic conditions which exist in
Europe than any other class of
tradesman 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 is certain to remain
demoralized-and thus we will be
fortunate five do not lose more than
we can hope to gain in new fields,
with whose needs we are not yet ia