The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-05-29

the AdamSOn Act OF SlAIy iAiAAio'i uVA
lars, the increased cost Of coal, steel
and other supplies, the Railroads face
a crisis and are asking for relief in
the form of rate increases.
Surely no reasonable man, face to
face with the crisis existing today,
will contend that the railroads should
not be given the necessary increase IN
rates to pay the increased wages fore
ed upon them, and give e reasonable
return on the capital invested, and q
surplus, for the further development
of our facilities, for, snould the IN
crease be not allowed, it means bank
ruptcy for some of Lie, no additional
facilities, congestion III the movement
Of freight in the years to come and no
increase in railway rii,cage in this
country.
Now let us take UP Tie subject Of
freight charges and ..ote now small
an item it amounts to III connection
with the high cost Of living and how
little each individual would be affect
ed BY an increase of Is per cent. i'll
freight rates.
Each individual and especially those
who are fortunate enough to possess
large families are keenly alive to the
high cost Of living have sought to
analyze the matter and discover why
we have been compelled to pay more
/ and more for the most common neces-
stiles until we begin to wonder where
the prices are going to stop, and where
the money is coming from to pay Tor
what we need.
There is a popular supposition ex-
listing in the minds Of a large part
of the public that the transportation
costs have a great deal to do with the
high cost of living. Probably the az
eraee man thinks with more or less
lin temper or resignation according to
his temperament that if the ID per
cent. increase is granted the Railroads,
it will mean a material additional bur-
den on his pocket book, but a. a mat
ter of fact the transportation cost is
about the smallest element that en-
tiers into the cost to the consumer.
Transportation is about the only
thing these days that has not been
costing the consumer more and more,
and as l have indicated, and want to
illustrate to you the cost Of transport
tation is the least Of the consumers
troubles. Take for example, the i'm
portant item of soft coal and jack
son, Miss. as a point for my illustra-
ton. The price Of coal at Jackson
about one year ago was $S.76, SIX
months ago. $5.75 and at the present
time about $3.50 per ton. The freight
rate from the Alabama mines has act
ually been reduced, as prior to Sep
TENDER 9Th, 1916, the rate was $1.So
per ton and since September 9th has
been $1.70, in other words the freight
rate has been reduced zoe per ton,
while the price Of the coal has been
increased $2.75 per ton. The rate
from Kentucky mines,> it is true, has
! been increased 15c per ton. How does
this compare with the increase in
price?
{ Sugar is a staple article which en-
tiers very largely into our daily diet
Let US assume that the average con.
| sumption of sugar is about 100 pounds
per capita per year. The price OF su'
/, gar in the last six months has advanc'
ed from 6 lac to 10.53c. per pound
t so that the ACREAGE consumers sugar
= cost is $1O.53 per year, an increase II
cost as compared with six months age
s of $4.28. Figuring the freight ratt
Y from New Orleans, the item Of trans
t ~portation, out of the total cost o.
s $1O.53 IA years supply for each indiv
d idual) amounts to less than 1Sc. Thu
in other words is the tremendous
t amount the consumer has to pay fol
8 the transportation of his sugar pei
Y year and if the rate advanced ID pei
s cent. it would add 2.7 cents per annun
o to his burden.
The average person uses about ~
pounds e year Of coffee D.. The price
during the last six months seems II
t have been stationary at IS cents pc
j. pound. At this price, the averag'
consumers coffee costs him $500 pc
It year. The freight included in thi
cost, figuring on the rate from New
Orleans, amounts to 81 cents per yea
e and if the freight rate were advances
is per cent. the poor consumer woui'
have to pay 8 IL cents more per an
q mum for his coffee.
e The prices of meat undoupte0ly nav
To caused most Of Us a bit of anguish
Ip An exceedingly liberal allowance .
IN meat will be two pounds per day pc
t. capita. This is probably too liber'
TO an estimate but using it for an illui
III ~tration it would mean the maj who's
ID meat is an important item Of his dit
q would consume 7S0 pounds Of met
I'd per annura.
re Within the last six months, ! al
at informed the price Of beef has rise
IL from 20 cents to rs cents per pounc
IN Fresh pork from % cents to 80 cent
r per pound; Bacon from 80 to 30 cent
er per pound. The present average prit