Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-06-15
GEORGIA SHIPPERS
GIVE OUT REMARKS
ON RAISE IN RATES

fiscal bureau OF the Georgia Shippers
Association today gave out the follow
ing statement concerning the revision
CT Georgia intrastate freight rates
proposed by the railroads of the state
in petitions on file before the railroad
commission:
Hon. James D. Price, state COM
missioner of agriculture, who is
making a courageous fight on behalf
of the un-organized, unrepresented
farmers in the vitality important matter
Of freight rates, recently issued assign
ed statement to the farmers of Geor-
gia in which he warned them that the
new rates proposed by the railroads, if
authorized by the railroad commits
sion, would yield the railroads an in
creased revenue of 100000 per year
in the transportation of fertilizer and
cotton seed meal
I'm making this statement Commits
sioner Price had before him the rec
ords of his Office, showing the move
ment of fertilizer and cotton seed meal
manufactured and consumed in this
state over long period of years, and
showing that the average movement
for the past five years has amounted
tc 1,2S2,73O tons per year, or S5,515
carloads of fertilizer and cotton seed
meal each season.
Commissioner Price also had be-
fore him the petition of the railroads,
now on file before the railroad COM
mission, which shows that the present
average rate on fertilizer and cotton
seed meal, from to 100 miles inclus-
i've, is $1.O9 per ton, and shows that
the average rate proposed by the
railroads, for the same distance, is
$1.52 per ton, or an average increase
] of 1914 per cent
I'm connection with these figures to
which Commissioner Price has called
the attention of the farmers of Geor-
gia, it is interesting to make few
comparisons.
in the year 1916 the total ad val
orem taxes collected by the State of
Georgia, from all sources, were $5,-
OO6,729.
Therefore the increased revenue of
100000 per year, which the railroads
would derive from fertilizer and cot
ton seed meal under the new freight
rates which they propose, is Is per
cent of the States total revenue de-
rived from ad valorem taxes.
I'm the year 1915 the railroads paid
into the State treasury the sum total
OF $5OS,OO1.51.
Therefore the increased revenue of
100000 per year, which the railroads
would derive from fertilizer and cot
ton seed meal, is sufficient to have
paid their entire tax to the State last
year. and still leave surplus of
1921 ,99S,49 per annum.
"In 1915 the railroads paid to the
counties, the municipalities and the
school districts of Georgia the sum
total of $1,42S,7S3.S5, which, added to
their State tax of sos, OG1.51 made a
erand total of $1,936, 1856 paid by the
railroads to cover all taxes of every
kind Off the year.
Therefore the increased revenue of
100000 per year, which the railroads
would derive from fertilizer and cot
ton seed meal, is ALB per cent of all
the taxes, both state and local, which
they paid in the State of Georgia last
year.
In the year 1915 the State of eGor-
gia's total appropriation to pensions
Of Confederate veterans and their
widows amounted to $1,O7O,0O0
Therefore the increased revenue of
100000 per year, which the railroads
would derive from fertilizer and oct
ton seed meal, is equivalent to IA
per cent. of the aid which these old
men and women receive from the State
in 1915.