Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-18


|of the situation. Il y true thAt -
pleatully written articles IN which tn
|great corporations the railroads relote
the Increased cost Of labor, higher price
Of steel, ties, and general maintainRncss
eto.. etc.: that public ssrvice demands
better service. higher class equipment,
million dollar depots, steel cars and
forty seven other things. would nat
urally induce the people who have not
given due consideration to the opposite
side Of the case reason to .sympathize
and indorse q greater revenue to the
high financied corporations commonly
called railroads.: who have during re-
cent years been able to maintain their
properties at higher standard than
ever before in their history and have
been able to earn over and above all
expenses all taxes and all interests
on debts, much larger per cent OF
return on all their capital stock OUT
standing than investments In farms
and other well established enterprises.
kindly turn to the, other side Of the.
picture? Please note the danger sign,
stop, look, listen.
They make no statement Of the fact
that now they transport three times
the freight tonnage In one train with
ono engine and with ono train crew
than they did some years back: they
seem to loose sight OF the fact that the
developments Of the country and farms
and in drainage most especially Of
the millions Of acres Of swamp lands Of
q few years back ID now the most pro-
ductive there 10, producing perhaps
twice the grain per acre that the high
lands farmed for years produced, this
added amount Of grain. livestock and
soil products, must be transported by
railroads to the commercial interests
| OF the world, certainly adds millions OF
tons of freight that they now collect
revenue from over q few years ago.
The railroad companies use a. slogan
for increased rates returns of revenue.
1913. the short crop, may ask have
any farmers or other legitimate busi-
ness interests appealed to the govern
ment for aid because Of q, serious de-
preston, even, from short crops, and
the crops and products Of the soil is
the basic foundation Of all CONNER.
ciAlism.
The compilation OF statistics Of farm
revenue under normal conditions will
show q net revenue Of less than per
cent, an average under per cent.
! My attention was attracted to one
particular exhibit given In testimony
in thep resent rate nearing by the rail-
road statistician in giving the net rev.
enue as whole Of Western Trunk Line
territory in which was included all the
weak railroad systems same in bank
ruptcy, or on the verge OF same caused
no doubt by high finance manipula-
ton; while the N. p, 6. N. and few
others Of a high standard crd prosper
Gus roads were not included, shall we
indorse increased freight rates and
passenger rates on these grounds?
One of the Chicago paper stated one
morning that two or three score Of
millionaire farmers were attending the
hearing fighting the increase, will
correct the statement by saying there
were that many farmers there and will
be again; their combined wealth, how
ever, would not comprise one milion-
aire, only average farmers there look
ing after their just and equitable rights
and those Of the common people and
citizens.
The proposed increasesmeans millions
Of dollars tax on The people Of west
ern territory shall we willingly allow
such increases to become effective or
tforcefully demand justification Of our
equitable rights.-W. ]. Ray, secretary,
Farmers Grain Dealers Association OF
Iowa. 5hx <r