Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1920-08-20
HIGHER FREIGHT NO
EXCUSE FOR G0UGING

day made .thR following statement re-
garding the effects of the freight rate
Increase just granted by the Inter.
state Commerce Commission.
"The public should be forewarned
and forearmed against any attempts
to take advantage of the freight rate
advanc for the purpose of justifying
profteering. While it is true that in
the case of some few articles and com
Imodities, small increases in price may
be justified, nevertheless, the amounts
which in any instance could fairly be
added to the present prices are very
small fraction of the whole and in the
ease of practically every article or
commodity of daily consumption the
increases in transportation charges
are relatively so small as to be practi-
cally negligible.
"Most -four is shipped in carload
lots. Taking the rate from Mime
apolis to Philadelphia, the 40 per
cent increase will amount to 33 cents
per barrel of 200 pounds. On 20
pound sack of flour this will be just
a trife less than four cents. Even
Iif the flour is shipped in less than
carload lots the increase in the
freight charge per "a pounds would
be seven cents.
eff we assume that oranges weigh
about eight pounds to the dozen,
which is fair average for good fruit,
the increase in the freight charge on
carload lots. from typical Florida
point to Philadelphia would be three
cents a dozen, and in less than car
load lots would be under three and
|one-half cents dozen.
"On packing-ho products, such
as ham, bacon, lard and canned
meats, shipped from Chicago to Phil
Iadelphia in carload lots, after the ad-
vanced rates become effective the in
creased charge will be IT mills on
each pound, while in less than car
load lots this will be "a mills.
these references are made to the
effect the increase in freight rates
will have on shipments between some
81 of the principal centers, merely as an
ILLUSTRATION. The general increase
in rates will result in substantially
similar increases in charges between
other points.
To Restore Competition
1--WE have not taken into account
any improvements in the transporta-
ton service which enlarge facilities
and increased equipment will afford.
If this is taken, into consideration,
with an ample locomotive and car
supply to meet the requirements,
many of the present delays and much
of the inability to move the COM
merce of the country from point of
origin to the place of consumption
will disappear. The supply will more
nearly equal the demand, and it is
self-evident that with. the demand
satisfied the stabilizing effect on
prices is bound to appear.
Coal is scarce ell over the coun-
try. One of the factors entering in
to the cause is the lack of cars. Coal
lis selling at double, or in some, cases
triple, what may be called normal
prices. Think of the effect on the
cost of living through this inability
to transport coal, as compared with
u condition where every pound of
coal that is mined could be inlmedi-
ately started to destination.
lone of the surest ways to stop
profiteering is. to restore natural COM
petition. This can only be brought
about by good transportation, which
will afford a proper distribution of
raw materials, as we'll as the finished
products.
Every citizen of this great coun-
TRY of ours is vitality interested in,
this subject, whether he be shipper,
traveller, employe or part owner of
Iany railroad, and we ask the help of
all in bringing about the better trans
portation service for which everyone
is longing. This improved service,
however, cannot be had as if by mag
ic. 1t will require time to secure
more engines and more cars, and to
construct additional and enlarged ia
cilities. Much hard work confronts
the railroad managers before the
transportation machine can be put
into complete repair SO that it can
meet the demand placed upon it by
our ever-growing industries.
Good and adequate transportation
will serve the people of the country
at-large in dollars, where freight
rate increase is measured in cents,
and just as soon as the additional ia
cilities can be obtained, am conf
dent the result will be real and con-
siderable saving in the cost of living.
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