Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-01-28
RATE INCREASE
NECESSARY
FARMERS UNION OFFICIALS
THINK RAILROADS ARE EN-.
TITLED TO MORE REVENUE.
Products Of piow and Farmer Who
Lives at Home Should Be
Exempt From Increase.
BY Peter Radford.


Lecturer National Farmers Union
The recent action OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission in granting IN
increase in freight rates in the eastern
classification OF territory: the applica-
ton OF the roads TO state and inter.
state commissions for an increase in
rates. ami the u~tterances OF PRECEDENT
Wilson or the subject bring the farm
ers OF this patio- face TO face with the
problem OF an increase in freight
rates. 1t is the policy OF the Farmers
Union 10 meet the issues affecting the
welfare Of the farmers sGuarely and
we will do so in this instance.
The transportation facilities Of the
United States are inadequate TO ef.
fectively meet the demands Of CON-
merce and particularly in the South
and West additional railway mileage
is needed TO accommodate the move
ment OF farm products. II in the wis
dom OF our Railroad Commissions an
increase in freight rates is necessary
10 brinG atOg, an Improvement In our
transportation service. and an exten.
sion of GU! mileage. then an increase
should be granted. and the farmer IL
willing 10 share such proportion OF
the increase as justly belongs TO him.
but We have some suggestions TO make
as 10 tie manner IL which this in
crease shall be Levied.
Rates Follow Lines OF Least Resist.
ancr
The freight rates Of the nation have
been built up along lines OF least re
sistance. The merchant, the manu-.
facturer, the miner. the miller, the
lumberman and the cattleman have
had their traffic bureaus thoroughly
organized and in many instances they
have pursued the railroad without
mercy and with the power Of organ.
lied tonnage they have hammered the
life out OF the rates and with unre-
strained greed they have eaten the
yitals out OF our transportation system
and since We have had railroad com
missions, these interests, with skill
and cunning. are represented at every
hearing ia which their business Is
involved.
The farmer is seldom represented
at rate hearings. as his organizations
have never had the finances TO en-.
ploy counsel 10 develop his side Of
the case and. as q result. the products
Of the pillow bear an unequal burden
Of the freight expense. A glance at
the freight tariffs abundantly proves
this assertion. Cotton, the leading
agricultural product Of the South, al
ready bears the highest freight rate OF
any necessary commodity In com.
merce, and the rate on agricultural
products as a whole ia out OF pro
portion with that Of the products Of
the factory and the mine.
We offer no schedule Of rates. but
hope the commission will be able TO
give the railroad such an increase In
rates as Is necessary without leyying
a further toll upon the products OF
the pillow. The Instance seems TO pre-
sen an opportunity to the Railroad
Commissions TO equaliZe the rates az
between agricultural and other classes
OF freight without disturbing the rates
on staple farm products.
What Is a Fair Ratef
We do not know what constitutes .
basis for rate making and have never
heard OF anyone who did claim to
know much about 1t, but II the pros-
perity Of the farm is a factor to be
considered and the railroad commits
sion concludes that an increase In
rates Is necessary, we would prefer
that IL come to US through articles Of
consumption on their journey from
the factory to the farm. We would,
for example. prefer that the rate on
hogs remain as At present and the
rate on meat bear the Increase. for
any farmer can then avoid the burden
by raising his " meat. and q farm
er who will not try to raise his W
ought to be penalized. We
think the rate on coal and brick q
much better bear An increase than
the ate on cotton and flour. We
would prefer that the rate on plows
the came. and machinery.
and such articles as the poor
err farmer cannot hope to possess bear
the burden of ssasc.
The increa bates should be 40
arranged thy farmer who lives
at home WI yno part Of the bur
den, but le Warmer who boards
In other stacy and countries and
who feeds his stock In foreign lands.
pay the price Of his folly.