Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-01-28
Comparing Eastern and
Western Railroad Rates
OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY FOR LABOR,
FUEL, SUPPLIES AND TAXES.

ertheless true, that in times
past the people of the average
state have not regarded their
railroads as an Industry and
yet there is hardly a state in
the Union in which the rail-
roads do not pay out more
money for labor. fuel and sup
plies than does any other sin
gle 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 products
but we forget that more work
ingmen's families depend upon
the railroads for a living than
upon any other industry i'll
either the average state or the
nation, and that their welfare
is therefore closely linked to
that of the farmer, manufact-
urer ard merchant-not merely
because they furnish freight
and passenger service, but be-
cause the millions they dis
ourse in one way and another
contribute tremendously to the
prosperity of the state in which
we live. Thus, next to real es
tate, the railroads are the larg
est tax payers of Iowa their
cakes for 1914 having aggre-
gated S3,138, 504 27--apd this
tidy sum did its full share to.
ward the support of every pub
lie school, public highway and
other revenue expense Of the
state.
In round figures, the rail
roads of Iowa are valued at
$3l3, 1863. 248 money which in
years gone by was invested in
these great arteries of com
merce by thousands of men and
women who live all over the
United States and in Europe,
and without whose assistance
the wonderful progress of our
great state would Lave been
impossible. If, thirty or forty
years ago, these people had in
vested their money in Iowa
farm lands instead of Iowa rail
roads-would not the invest
ment have proven infinitely
more profitable to them? On
the other hand, if somebody
had not furnished the money
with which to build the rail
roads, what would be the pres
emit value of Iowa farm lands?
Is it not therefore apparent
chat the people of this and ev-
cry other Corn Belt state owe.
much to those from the outside
who furnished the millions
necessary to Industrial and eg
ricultural development and
without which their remark
able progress would have beer
impossible?
According to the last report
of the Iowa State Railway Com
mission the railroads of Iowa
employed 46,476 men during
the fiscal year ending June 80,
1912, and paid out to them in
salaries the sum of $3l, 922,-
523.22-and these millions did
their full share to create q
profitable market for Iowa
farm products and to upho' d
the volume of business of Iowa
grocers, clothiers, dry goods
men, and others who depend
upon. the patronage Of the pub
lie. Since the above report
was made public, forced econ
omy has compelled the rail-
roads to discharge several
thousand employees in this
state-but the fact remains
that even at this time they are
scattering more than S30,000,-
600 per year throughout Iowa
in salaries to their employees
as we'll, as paying millions OF
dollars for Iowa coal, Of which
they are the heaviest purchas
ers in the state.
/ Thus, when the people look
at the other side of the ledger
when they think of the millions
which the railroads disburse tt
their thousands of workingmer
} and the millions they pay ou'
for taxes, coal, and other sup
plies, it can readily be seer
that they constitute an indus
try which deserves the friend
ship and consideration of ev
cry thoughtful citizen in tn
state.
THE BRANCH LINES OF IOWA
! 1t is a vel, kno .vn fact tina