The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1920-04-29
Director General Hines Says Rail-
road Transportation Costs
Are Lowest in History.
NOT CAUSE OF HIGH PRICES.
Freight Advances Compared With Rise
In Value Of Goods-Transportaton
Cheapest Thing Public Buys.
Charges on Some Articles.

Data compiled from authoritative
sources shows that railroad freight
rates are the least factor in the cost
of living. Although the proportion of
the total cost Of goods that can be
charged to transportation is not known
with statistical accuracy, it is estimat-
ed that the average transportation cost
Of things produced In this country is
a very small percentage of their total
cost to the consumer.
Freight Cost "a Per Cent Of Total.
In letter to Representative John J.
Esch, chairman Of the House Commit
tee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce, Julius Kruttschnitt, chairman
Of the Southern Pacific Company,
points out that in the last five years
the value Of goods increased on an av-
erage Of $63 a ton, while freight
charges advanced only so cents ton.
In five years, he explains, the aver
age value Of freight carried by the
railroads increased from $50 to $119 a
ton. The cost Of carrying this increas-
ed from 50 to $3.50, paid to the rail-
roads. In 1914, he adds, SO per cent
of the total cost of the goods was
spent for transportation. In 1919 only
"a per cent was spent.
I'm other words" Mr.. Kruttschnitt
writes, "only so cents out Of $63, or 1.3
cents out Of every dollar of increase in
value Of commodities in 1910 was caus-
I'd by increased freight charges. The
responsibility for the remaining $62 20,
or 9S.7 cents out Of every dollar, must
be sought elsewhere 1t was not caus-
ed by freight rates."
Rates Lowest In History.
Comparison with transportation
charges in other countries shows that
in no other country Of the world Is
transportation furnished at 50 low a
cost as In the United States. Compar-
ed, too, with the cost Of other goods
and services today, railroad transporta-
ton is the cheapest thing the public
buys. 1t is sold for less than the cost
of production, considering all the ele-
ments Of cost.
In statement on this subject to the
New England Bankers Association
Walker D. Hines, Director General Of
Railroads, said:
II think it Is fair statement
that at the present time, despite
the increases which have taken
place In freight rates, ton Of
steel or q ton Of coal, a bushel OF
wheat or the unit Of any other
commodity has to pay for trans
portation less percentage Of the
price Of that commodity than ever
before in the history Of the coun-
try."
Charges on Some Articles.
Before the war a suit Of clothing
from one of the Chicago factories, sell.
INK for $50 In q retail shop, was car
ried from Chicago to Los Angeles for
1871 cents. The suit Of clothes now
retails at $50 or $50, but the freight
rate on that 2,2e5 mile haul has in
creased only 51h cents, while the price
of the goods has gone up $40 or $780,
The % cents does not cover all the
transportation cost III a suit Of clothes,
the transportation charge for carrying
the wool from the ranges and the
cloth to the clothing manufacturer and
other minor carrying costs enter into
the consideration, but the final trans
portation charge Is the principal one,
and the other charges add only a few
cents more.
New England shoes are shipped
from Boston to Florida at a cost Of less
than 52.3 cents a pair. This is an IN.
crease of only one cent over the pre-
war rate. The railroads also carry
beef from Chicago to New York for a
charge of about two-thirds OF a cent
a pound. Typewrlters are carried from
New York to st. Louis for 66 cents. A
$3.50 monograph is carried by freight
from New York to Atlanta for S2'S5.
A grand piano is carried clear across
the continent for 500 and in carload
lots for s2s.
These are typical freight rates, and
they make 1t plain that American rail-
roads give the lowest cost service in
the world.
Even with a very considerable IN
crease in rates to make the roads SELF
supporting, transportation will still be
the cheapest thing the public buys.