Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-18
HOWARD FAVORS
CUMMINS-ESCH LAW


{ Says Farmers Must Cooperate
With Railroads and other Business
Interests-Says Farmer Must Have
Good Roads.
Des Moines, Sept. 49,. r. Howard.
president of the American Farm
Bureau Federation, came out fatty In
favor of the Cummins- Esch railroad
bill and Of program for good roads
In an address before the council Of
members OF the chamber OF COM
merce yesterday noon. Later In the
day he expressed similar views be-
fore the Iowa Building and Loan AS
ISOLATION
Mr. Howard made striking plea
for cooperation between farmers
and those engaged in other profess
sions and businesses. He paid the
chamber a compliment by saying
that to it was due much Of the credit
for the growth of the city, and he
pleaded that the jealousy between
farmer and city resident be overcome.
Plumb Plan Unsatisfactory.
In speaking of the railroad situa-
ton. Mr. Howard said:
THE farmer was NOT pleased nor
satisfied with government operation
of railroads. He did not take at all
to the proposed Plumb plan of rail-
road control. He suffered for the
lack OF transportation facilities dur
ing the war and bore his incon-
venience patiently because of the UNI
usual situation brought about by the
war, but when the armistice was
signed and months passed, and we
were still crippled In our marketing,
and conditions were growing rapidly
worse, we began very seriously to
question the efficiency OF government
administration.
Eve found that at least $4,000 cars
more had been worn out during the
two years of government control than
had, now cars been built There were
5000 engines and 122, 900 cars I'm bad
order. We We're compelled to keep
our perishable stuff for months after
It was ready to- market.
Farmers Changed Minds.
4 I'VE objected at first to any rail-
road law which would give guar
anteed return to the railroads. We
said we never yet had any guaran-
teed returns but those OF US who
did object, when we learned the real
situation OF the railroads and the
seriousness of the problem, and how,
before we could get our marketing
done and get the money to repay our
notes In the banks. had to have that
transportation: and that the roads
had to have money to build that
transportation: and We remembered
given favors to the farmers at GER
tain times and In certain localities.
for instance In Texas where they had
the terrible famine and commafl-
deered thousands OF cars of cotton
seed and turned them over to the
Texas farmers, we then thought 1t
wasn't wrong in principle. viewed
from all angles, to give the rail-
roads that which would enable them
to become efficient and render US the
service which we demanded. So !
think the farmers generally have
come to view that two year pro-
vision for the guaranteed return in
our present bill In very different
light from what we viewed it even
four or Ave months ago.
1--WE were, perhaps. little. disap-
pointed at the very great INCREASE of
railroad rates as returned by the in
terstate. commerce commission re-
Gently. Our attorney tells US that the
farmers pay 561a per cent Of all the
freight in the country: that is. on
our OUTGOING and incoming. That, OF
course, would take the advance
charges on the coal which is used II,
manufacturing, down to the farmer.
to the consumer. but 1t Is carried
there at any rate: so we are the
largest freight bill payers Of any
class Of people and the raise in
freight is taken quite seriously by
some of our people.
European Rates Higher.
''But let me call your attention to
one or two facts. Neither freight nor
passenger rates in this country are
quite one-han Of those OF the Euro
pean roads which are partly govern
ment owned and think all govern
ment controlled. And the capitaliza-
ton Of the roads in this country is
about one-fourth, l believe, of the
capitalization of the European roads
And at that we complain Of the wat
err in the stock Of our railroads.
80 after all we have got to play
as farmers, an absolutely square
game with the railroads and the
transportation Of the country, and il
the increased rate Is not justifiable
there is ample provision In the
Cummins -Esch bill for a new revi-
sion and a downward revision. And
as soon as the present rate is dem
onstrated as being too high we will
certainly expect the new revision
You know, perhaps. that the rail
roads lin making application for the
new rates asked that the guaranteed
earnings be made on a twenty bill
lion dollar capitalization, but that
our attorney succeeded in having il
decreased by two billion dollars at a
very considerable saving. The ma
rine transportation is as important
as the highway transportation. We
are interested very much. as farmers
in the Great Lakes ST. Lawrence
tidewater project and are going tc
give it our very best attention and
see that It is put across. II possible
Farmers Need Good Roads.
! Mr.. Howard stated that he favored
the Improvement of highways be-
cause the farmers need hard roads in
order to properly market their pro-
duce.
GrinnslI and Vicinity.
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