Pocahontas star herald., 1915-01-22
RATE INCREASE
NECESSARY
FARMERS UNION OFF,
GALS THINK RAILROADS
ARE ENTITLED TO
MORE REVENUE.
Products ef Plow and Farmer
Who Lives at Home Should
BE Exempt From In
crease.
BY Peter Radfofd
leclufuT National Farmers Onion

| hetuirI National farmrfs Union
The recent action Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission in
grapting 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
ident Wilson on the subject
bring the farmers OF this nation
face TO face with the problem cf
an increase in freight rates. II
Is the policy of the Farmers
I Union 10 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
10 effectively meet the demands
OF commerce and particularly in
the South and West additional
railway mileage is needed to ae-
commodate the movement of farm
products. II in the wisdom OF
our Railroad Commissions an in
crease in freight rates is neces-
sary 10 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 proportion Of
the increase as Justly belongs to
him, but we have some suggeS-
tions TO make as to the manner in
which this increase shall be lev
led.
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 manufacturer. the miner, the
miller, the lumberman and the
cattleman have had their traffic
bureaus thoroughly organized and
in many instances they have pur-
sued the railroad without mercy
and with the power OF organized
tonnage they have hammefed the
! life out OF the rates and with ur-
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-
| scnted at rate hearings as his or
carnations have never had the
finances 70 employ counsel to de-
vclop his side of the case and as
a result. the products oi the plow
/ bear an unequal burden OF the
| freight expense.
What is a Fair Rate?
We do not know what consti-
tutcs e basis for rate making and
have never heard OF anyone who
did claim TO know much about
| IL but If the prosperity OF the
/ farm is a factor TO be considered
and the railroad commission con-
| cIudcs that an increase in rates
/ il necessary. we would prefer
that If come to MS through ar
ticlcs of consumption on their
! iourrcv from the factory TO the
| farm We would, for example,
prefer that the rate on hogs re-
main as IT present and the rate
an meat bear the increase, Ior any
farmer can then avoid the burden
NV raising his own meat, and I
farmer who will not try TO raise
b;e own meat ought to be penal
;zed We think the rate on coal
and brick can much better bear
an increase than the rate on cot
fon and -four. We would prefer
that the rate on plows remain the
same. and machinery, pianos and
such articles as the poorer farm
er 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
er who boards in other states and
countries and who feeds his stock
in foreign lands, pay the price OF
his folly.