The Green Forest tribune., 1915-02-26
RATE INCREASE
 NECESSARY
FARMERS UNION OPEL CIALS THINK RAILROADS ARE ENTITLED TO
 MORE REVENUE.
Products of Flow and Farmer Who Lives at Home Should Be Exempt From h.
 crease.
By Peter Radford Lecturer National Farmers Union

Lecturer National Farmers Union
 The recent action of the Inter- state Commerce Commission in granting an increase in freight rates in the eastern classification of territory; the application of the roads by state and interstate commissions for an increase in rates, and the utterances of Pres ldent Wilson on the subject bring tho farmers of this nation face to face with the problem of an increase in freight rates. It IS the policy of the Farmers Union to meet the issues affect ing the welfare of the farmers squarely and we will do so in this instance.
 The transportation facilities of the United States are inadequate to effectively meet the demands ot commerce and particularly in the South and West additional railway mileage Is needed to ac- commodate the movement of farm products. If in the wisdom of our Railroad Commissions an in- crease Ill freight rates is neces-
 sary to bring about an improve ment in our transportation ser vice, and an extension of our
 mileage, then an increase should be granted and the farmer is will ing to~~ share such pIanartion -ot
 the increase as justly belongs to ! him, but we have some sugges- tons to make as to the manner in I which this increase shall be lev jed.
 Rates Follow Lines of Least Re- sistance
 The freight rates of the nation have been built up along lines of least resistance. The merchant, the manufactures, the miner, the miller, the lumberman and the cattle1nan have had their traffic bureaus thoroughly organized and III many instances they have pur- sued the railroad without mercy and with the power of organized tonnage they have hammered the life out of the rates and with un- restrained greed they have eaten the vItals out of our transporta- ton system and since we have had railroad commissions, these interests, with skill and cunning, are represented at every hearing in which their business is in- volved
 The farmer is seldom repre- sented at rate hearings as his or ganizations have never had the finances to employ counsel to de- velop his side of the case and as a result, the products of the blow bear an unequal burden of the freight expense.
 What is Fair Rate?
 We do not know what consti- tutes basis for rate making and have never heard of anyone who did claim to know much about it, but if the prosperity of the farm is a factor to be considered and the railroad commission con- cludes that an increase in rates is necessary, we would prefer that 1t come to Us through ar- icles of consumption on their journey from the factory to the farm. We would, for example. prefer that the rate on hogs re- main as at present and the rate on meat bear the increase, for any farmer can then avoid the burden by raising his own meat, and a farmer who will not try to raise his own meat ought to be penal ized. We think the rate on coal and brick can much better bear an increase than the rate on cot ton and flour. We would prefer that the rate on blows remain the same, and machinery, pianos and such articles as the poorer farm CT cannot hope to possess bear the burden of increase.
 The increase in rates should be so arranged that the farmer who lives at home will bear no part of the burden, but let the farm- CT whp boards in other states and countries and who feeds his stock in 10 reign lands, pay the price of his io'ly.