The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-01-30
RATE INCREASE !
NECESSARY.
FARMERS UNION OFF,
GALS THINK RAILROADS
l. ARE ENTITLED TO
MORE REVENUE.
Products of Plow and Farmer
Who Lives at Home Should
= Be Exempt From In
aU- crease.
~ BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union

Lecturer National Farmers Union
The recent action of the Inter-
btste 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
Ia 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. If 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 SUCCESS
lions to make as to the manner in
which this increase shall be lev.
led.
Rates Follow Lines Of Least Re.
sistance.
The height rates of the nation
have been built up along lines Of
least resistance. The merchant,
the manufacturer, the miner, the
sniiier, the lumberman and the
cattleman have had their traffic
bureaus thoroughly organised and
ID many instances they have pur-
Dued the railroad without mercy
and with the power Of organized
!. tonnage they have hammered the
lie out Of the rates and with up-
restrained greed they have eater
HE vitals out OF our transporta-
hiun system and since we have
md railroad commissions, these
interests, with skill and cunning,
are represented at every hearing
s. which their business IS in
Cvlved.
The farmer Is seldom repre-.
Z seated At rate hearings as his or
eanizations have never had flla
nsnces to employ counsel to de.
Ns)op his side of the case and a,
! result, the products Of tho pillow
AlAf IN unequal burden Of TIL
kelGht expense.
What 10 q Fair Raae2
We % not know what consti
Mites 1 basis for rate making and
nye never heard Of anyone who
~ claim to know much about
but If the prosperity Of thu
aym IS a factor 70 be considered
and The railroad commission con
tluies that an increase in rates
p necessary, we would prefel
1hat it come to US through ar
t;eles Of consumption on Their
Scurney from the factory to thu
5arm. We would, for example
pfefer that the rate on hogs re
main as at present and the rate
on meat bear the increase, for any
larner can then avoid the burden
Nv raising his own meat, and !
farmer who will not try to raise
1is own meat ought to be penal.
he'd. We think the rate on coal
and brick can much better bear
a Increase than the rate on cot
ION 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 bea,
The burden Of increase.
The increase in rates should b
90 arranged that the farmer who
lives at home will bear no par
Of the burden, but let the farm
e who boards in other states and
countries and who feeds his stool
y foreign lands, pay the price O
IL folly.