The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-12-18
SAYS PARALYSIS
OF: INDUSTRY IS;
RESuL 1t Of Law v
Director Farmers National Coun.
Gil Says Return Of Railroads
Brought Disaster.
ContitMed:j from Page One.

Continued iron, Page One. =
tors were also directors in SO other
railroad companies, in -35 financial
and in A industrial corporations with
which they had dealings. i -. .
Seventeen directors of the Penn
sylyania railroad held 81 positions as
directors in 81 financial corporations,
and SO positions as directors in indus
trial corporations, besides being direc-
tors in many other transportation
corporations.
"A1l but one of the rs directors. of
the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford railroad were directors in one or
more of 161 industrial corporations.
The N. p. Directors.
Every one of the Is directors of
the Northern Pacific was q director In
1 to Is of the 80 financial, .82:indus-s
trial or 70 transportation corporations.
Every one of the II directors of
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
was a director in 2 to % of 26 finan-::
cial, Is Industrial, or SO transportation;
corporations.
Each Of the II directors of the
Maine Central railroad was director in
1 to II Of rs industrial, "a financial
or transportation corporations.
Under the Cummins- Esch law,
big business has the inside track and
little business has harder time to
break in. The little manufacturer
finds it difficult or impossible to get
quality Of service with the big man
ufacturer. Small farmers cooperative
oino
ity selling of farm products, both. Of
which methods are essential to make
agriculture really prosperous indus
try, are throttled under the Cummins-
Esch law. Private ownership and OPP
Grafton >of the railroads built up<the
, steel trust, the elevator trust, the mill
ing trust. the packer trust and the
Standard Oil trust, thru rebates and
discrimination. That is the reason
financial interests want the railroads
! returned to the bankers so that they
can continue the good old game and
prevent competitive firms starting le-
Ultimate competitive business.
Take Greater Proportion.
Under the Cummins- Esch law rail-
road rates are taking constantly in
creasing proportion Of the price which
farmers receive for their products.
Railroad rates now take from 10 per
cent to 20 per cent for long haul.
If prices for farm products continue to
go down the present railroad rates will
take an even greater proportion. 49,
"Under the Cummins-E law the
level of freight and passenger rates is
! now so high that the railroads have
defeated their own purpose of provid-
ing adequate revenue and the roads
are running behind even under in
creased rates to the tune Of about
100000 a year. High passenger rates
| reduces travel and so decreases the
| railroads revenues, and high freight
| rates tend to reduce shipments with
! the same result. -
Will Cripple Farmers"
ANY further increase in freight
rates will cripple every farmer and
business man more and more. making
it difficult for farmers and business
men to get a footing in the worlds
! markets., and will keep the high cost
Of living pegged up so high that not
even the attorney general can reach
it with the Sherman antitrust aaw..