Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1917-11-23
RAILROAD RATES


sorbed with their individual affairs,
and are so accustomed TO measuring
their rights comparatively with local
conditions, that they lose sight Of
the larger benefits to be obtained BY
coneerted action against influences
tina. are not in sympathy with the
weleNa Of the general public.
am addressing these remarks to
the public hoping to arouse their in
terest against the unfairness Of Gov
eminent regulation Of Railroad rates.
To illustrate, from Jackson, Tonnes
see, YOU can send letter to any
place in the world just as cheap as
you send it from Memphis. You can
send a package by Parcel Post as
cheap. You can buy personal trans
portation just as cheap, but the river
at Memphis does not permit you to
ship bale Of cotton, ton of coal,
a barrel Of -four and many other COM
modities as cheap, because railroads
afe permitted to compete with river.
rates. The Government at Washing
ton owns the river at Memphis and
expends money generously to main
tain it in navigable condition, yet
the Government makes no charge for
using the water Of this stream or any
other navigable stream for transpor-
tation purposes. Railroads have this
unfair competition to meet at river
points, and they do meet it; but meet
it at the expense of people who are
not located agqa1tageously enough to
acquire for themselves with the use
of modern transportation the bene-
fits of this public carrier, the river,
simply use Jackson for illustra-
ton because, Jackson like Lexington,
Huntingdon, Mckenzie, in fact every
trading point in the United States,
that is too remote from river points
to secure the advantage Of water
competition, is paying the cost Of
lower rates atsriver points. The re-
suit is that railroads get their re-
ward at interior points, before more
than 20 per cent, of available traf-
fc is accessible to wtaer transporta-
tion.
This brief statement clearly indi-
Gates to any thinking man, that nayi-
gable streams do not compete with
railroads, because the railroad can
run wheret he river runs, but the
river can't run where the railroad
runs.
The Government controls railroad
rates and does not own the railroads.
1t owns the navigable streams but
does not control the rate on nayi-
gable streams. 1t assumes the right
to control the rates on property it
does not own and relinquishes the
right to control the rates on property
it does own. More than 80 per cent.
Of the traffic in the United States is
hauled by Railroads and it is folly to
maintain even actual water transpor-
tation, comparatively, yet millions are
annually spent to maintain it poten-
TALLY.
These facts should arouse enough
public attention to force the Govern
ment at Washington to enact legis-
lation that will equalize transporta-
ton rates. The inequalities Of trans
portation are far greater than the
of taxation. 1t is time
this matter should have the attention
of every organization in the country,
that is representative Of commune
ties injured by river rates. The Gov
eminent should make reasonable
charge for the use of navigable
waters for transportation purposes.
This to some extent would produce
revenue to maintain navigable con-
iitions, and thereby lessen govern
ment appropriations at the expense
Of more than so per cent of the peo-
Die that are injured, rather than bene-
flied, by the present crude and un-
Just system. i
t. j. WHITE
Jackson, Tenn.