Sharp County record., 1915-02-12
RATE INCREASE
NECESSARY.
FARMERS UNION OFFl-
GALS THINK RAILROADS
ARE ENTITLED TO
MORE REVENUE.
Products of Plow and Farmer
Who Lives at Home Should
Be Exempt From In
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
ident Wilson on the subject
bring the 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
Of commerce and particularly in
the South and West additional
railway mileage is needed to ac-
commodate the movement Of farm
products. II in the wisdom OF
our Railroad Commissions an in
crease in 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 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 hammered the
life out OF the rates and with un.
restrained greed they have eater
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 a,
a result, the products Of the plov
bear an unequal burden OF tht
freight expense,
What is a Fair Rate'
We do not know what consti
tutes a basis for rate making ant
have never heard of anyone wht
did claim TO know mach abou
it, but if the prosperity OF th'
farm is a factor to be considered
and the railroad commission con
cludes that an increase in rate
is necessary, we would prefe
that it come 10 US through ar
ticles OF consumption on thel
Journey from the factory to tn,
farm. We would, for example
prefer that the rate ON hogs re
main as at present and the rat
on meat bear the increase for an,
farmer can then avoid the burdel
by raising his own meat, and
farmer who will not try to rais
his own meat ought to h, penal
lied. We think the rate on Goa
and brick can much better bea
an increase than the rate on cot
ton and -four We would prefe
that the rate on plows remain tn
same, and machinery, pianos an,
such articles as the poorer farm
er cannot hope TO possess bea
the burden OF increase,
The increase in rates should b,
so arranged that the farmer VIII,
lives at home will bear no par
OF the burden, but let the farm
er who boards in other states an,
countries and who feeds his st6VI
in foreign lands, pay the price q
his folly.
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