The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1920-08-27
FREIGHT RATE INCREASE
TO AFFECT PRICES
SLIGHTLY
II FAIRLY HANDLED RAISE
SHOULD BE LITTLE.
Railroad and Government Officials
Issue Statement and Give Reasons
and Examples to Show Why New
Freight Rates Should Not Be Made
Excuse for Heavy Boosting

EXCUSE LOT heaNy bOOSunB'
The freight rate increase recently
granted the railroads by the inter
state commerce commission will not
DE iustifiable cause for piling an
other burden on the ultimate con-
sumer's p0cketbook. This is the con-
viction OF railroad operators, labor
staiisiicians and government officials,
including officials of the department
Of justice, whose business it is to
watch out for prOfiteers in the Unit
ed States and to bring them to justice
II they can.
Anticipating that some Of the pro-
titeering experts Of the country may
Zoe chuckling over a chance to give
prices Of commodities another hike
when the new rates get to working,
some pertinent figures are given toI
show the consumer that he should not
Doe plundered on this account
Railroad Warns Public.
"The public should be forwaned, :"
says the Pennsylvania railroad in a
HNNNNNNNANAN AHNNfN NNAfHfMAANh AANEANH
60 prove It's contention, land fore
armed against any attempts 10 take
advantage Of the freight rate advance
for the purpose of iustifying profit
'ecring.
OF Slight Effect.
"While IL Il true" says the Penn
usylyania statement, "that In the case
of some few articles and commodities
gsmall increases Ia price may bc iusii-
fled, nevertheless the amounts which
an any instance could fniily be- added
No the present prices are small frac.
aion of the whole, and In the case Of
practically every article or commod-
ity of daily consumption the increases
in transportation charges are rcla-
lively 20 small rs 70 be practically
negligible"
Facts Apply Generally
"These references are made TO the
cffoct the increase on freight rates
will have on shipments between some
of the principal centcrs, merely as an
illustration. The general increase Is
rates win result IN substantially sim
ilar increases Ia charges between 9TH
ipr points.
Effect On Flour
"Let Ms see what these figures
lmcan to the household consumer who
buys flour by the sack, eggs and
oranges by the dozen, and butter by
the pound.
"Most flour Is shipped in carlond
lots. Taking the rate from Mime
apolis 10 Philadelphia, the 40 per cent
increase will amount TO 80 cents per
barrel OF 200 pounds. On tNcniy-
four-pound sack of flour this will be-
just triflc less THAI four cents Even
II the flour is shipped In less than
carload lots, the increase Ia the
freight charge per twenty-four pounds
would be seven cents, Ae crate Of
eggs contains thirty dozen, a glance
iut the table will show that on a ear
load shipment the added freight
charges would be about half cent
per dozen eggs, and in the less than
carload lot shipment about two-thirds
sot cent dozen.
Butter and Potatoes.
"Similarly, il will be observed that
the increased freight charges on but
ter per pound from Chicago 10 Phila-
'delphia, when sent in carload lots,
would be- about four mills, and on less
than carload lots, less than 5ia mills
in the one case little and in
the other case q little more, than half
"a cent pound.
"Under the new rates the increase
IN the freight charges for shipping
early potatoes from Southern New
Jersey or Virginia points 10 ihiiadel-
phia would amount Ia 3,3 cents ans
81 cents per bushel, respectiyelt, The
housekeepers in the larger cities vino
buy potatoes by the lsek ought,
therefore, not 10 be charged more
than one cent additional for each
peek OF potatoes purchased.
Packing House Goods,
Son packing house products, such
as ham, bacon, lard and canned meats
shipped from Chicago TO Philadelphia
IN carload lots, after the advanced
rates become effective the increased
charge will be ~ mills ON each
pound, while in less than carload lots
this will be "a mills"
Labor statistieian Speaks.
W. Juct Lauek, statistician for the
railroad labor organization, says:
"There is no occasion for alarm in
the prospect of an addition of a bill
lion and half dollars 10 the annual
transportation bin of the country,
provided this item is not multiplied
four or five times before it is pre-
scented TO the people for payment"
Justice Officials Vigilant,
Department of justice officials say
they are going TO keep their eyes open
80 the situation.
e - ...-. .