Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-09

Is now more than $90t,V00 900.
Altho dividends are maintained by
government guarantee, many rail-
road stocks are now being offered at
one-half Of their 1914 price.
The gigantic railroad business Of
the British Isles, ninety-tw years old
and with a total investment Of So
00O,000,0 900, is now pauperized
wreck, losing 100000 a week.
British railroads are serving the
public below cost, yet they were
never SO unpopular as they are today.
Under government control, all adj
vertising has been abolished. In
stead of advertisements, there are
now edicts-official proclamations.
Recently, in the middle Of the holi-
day season, passenger fares were
suddenly raised 16 2-3 per cent. The
result was that for two weeks the
British people forgot Poland and
Russia and Mesopotamia and even
Ireland. and focused all their indig-
nation upon the railroads.
Another edict was issued Septem-
Der l increasing the freight rates.
This is a necessity to abolish the
government subsidy, but it is being
resented actively by the shippers.
A new and amazing competitor has
sprung up recently-the motor omni-
bus. There are now more than 5000
OF these, actively competing with the
railroads in the long distance traffic.
One Of these omnibusses, or chara-
bancs, as they are called, will carry
twenty-five to thirty passengers at
an average speed Of twenty miles an
hour
These charabancs run to Brighton
and back, and London, for a fare OF
S4.76. They make a fourteen days
trip thru Wales for $110; and they
are now taking passengers to the
Scottish Highlands seventeen day
trip, with best hotel service. for q
fare Of $3.50.
The Old coaching days tmmortalized
by Dickens. have come back again
There is the same jollity and COM
partnership. There is the same pleas
ant method Of travel, by easy stages
from hotel to hotel.
Freight, too, is being carried by
road. There are now more than 600
road transport companies In Great
Britain: and last week they arranged
to have distributing centers for the
handling of freight. -.
These road transport companies
are now carrying freight. for distan-
ces of over 100 miles, ut a lower rate
than the railroads. In one instance
that came to my notice, the rate was
s2.25 per ton less than the railroad
rate.
So. as many people are saying
the railway killed the road and now
the government has killed the rail-
way and the road is coming back
again. There has been a resurrection
of the road that has surprised every
one.
There are at present $780, 900 motor
vehicles on British roads; and every
week this number is being augment
ed by the repair OF. war lorries and
by the output Of the charabanic fac
tories. which are doing roarine
trade.
AS for the poor railroads, they are
feebly planning to offer to the public
half rates for one-day excursions, te
| compete with the charabancs. Bat
the spirit. Of the railroad men has
been broken. There is no longer an!
incentive any freedom Of operation
ANY rivalry between railroads. They
have been dwarfed into civil servants
against their will.
Raising fares and freight rates viii
80 =. AZ
the contrary, the probability is tina,
1t will increase their deficit.
Nothing will restore the solver1c,
and efficiency OF the railroads excep,
the complete abolition Of government
| control. and the restoration OF com.
petition and private enterprise.