Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-06-26
As to Freight Rate Increases.

In the midst of the effort to obtain national
legislation to protect the country against extor-
tonate prices, the railroads rise to ask for ff-
teen per cent increase in their freight rates, on
both interstate and intrastate transportation. We
concerned particularly with the petition OF
the railroads of Georgia, asking fiat increase OF
fifteen per cent all rail shipping between points
within this State. The is set for argument
before the State Railroad Commission on July II,
and by virtue of it's far-reaching Importance to
the peoples interests it merits their earnest atten-
ton.
There could be only one ground on which to
justify increase in freight rates at this
juncture, and that would be the ground Of ma
tional necessity. Whatever is needful to the ma
tons security and effectiveness for the war Is war
ranted, regardless of the cost If a five hundred
per cent rate advance necessary to enable the
railroads to serve the Government and the people
efficiently in these crucial times, then five hun
dred per cent advance should be granted. But on
the same broad ground of national interest, rate
advance of one per cent or of one-hundredth of
one per cent would be wrong, and very serious
wrong, against the Government and the people of
the United States unless it were needed unmistak-
ably and imperatively
transportation is one of the necessities Of lie,
as much so food clothing To raise the cost of
transportation is to raise the cost of living. An
increase of fifteen per cent in the interstate and
intrastate freight rates grain and meat and
fuel and machinery and hundreds Of other basic
commodities would mean a material demand upon
the already straitened income of the average fam
lily While we are appealing to Congress for pro-
lection against the monopolsts and spectators
who arbitrarily put up the price Of food it will be
we'll scrutinize the petition of the railroads who
seeking to put up the price OF transportation.
Are they trying to add hundreds of millions of
dollars to the cost of freight, and hence to the
of living because national service demands 1t,
simply because they want the money?
q a
mined by careful investigation, OF railroad earn
ings and expenses; and none but competent judges
with the entire record before them could presume
to speak this point with fnality of opinion
There are certain broad aspects of the situation,
however, that will not fail to impress any fair
minded observer. Consider, for example, the fact
that while the railroads are asking for rate in
creases which, according to the estimate OF some
shippers, would amount to approximately a billion
dollars year, their present earnings and their &C
cumulated surplus earnings are the greatest III
their history. The detailed figures presented
in the news columns of todays journal and we
commend them to the attention of everyone who
interested in this important matter, either per-
sonaly citizen jealous of his cOuntrys we'll
being Suffice it at this point to note that the rail
roads operating in Georgia earned in the year 1916
net incomes which represented increases ranging
from fifty to eighty per cent over the pre-
cedng year and that their net earnings for the
first five months of 1917 are considerably larger
than for the same period Of 1916, which marked
a pinnacle of prosperity.
1t is in the light Of these figures that we
Sh0ulQ view the railroads. statement CnaL Lnelr
increased operating expenses demand increase
in transportation charges to safeguard their eff
feiency and credit. Undoubtedly their operating
expenses have increased in the last few years.
What line of industry or business has not seen its
operating expenses mounting For institutions
for individuals, the cost Of living has kited. But
whereas the earnings Of most individuals and of
many institutions have stood still or advanced but
slightly, the net. earnings of the railroads have
gone forward beyond precedent. Unless, then,
their increased expenses are incredibly great, they
pursuing a policy of selfish gain instead of
generous patriotism in seeking to extract from the
pockets Of already burdened people an addi-
tional of billion dollars a year.
SThis is time for selfish gain at the expense of
the common good; certainly it is time for greed
the part of interests already fat with prosperity
If the railroads cannot subsst and cannot meet
the nations needs their present income to-
gether with their accumulated surplus, then they
should be allowed rate increase But before &C
cepting that marvellous theory the Railroad Com
mission, we take it, will require combinations
Strong as proofs of Holy Writ"
N