The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1921-01-06


4 SHORTLY after this Nj Silver sat in
the lobby of "a hotel in Washinetof tell
ing the story 90 friend. \ man. over
bearing him sopke up
-Why don't son d. something about
the wooden boats
-Why.~ said silver a dliat know
W. had ANS
~Vlfr. yes % answered the man. Ever
since 1916 fleet 81 wooden vessels has
been tied up in THE docks az Detroit out
II comuissiuu because. under rate
grunted fhc railroads and made possible
liz the workings 81 the LaFonefte Sea
men's Bill fiie railroads have been per
mitted fo haul grain from Chicago to
Buffalo for - cents and % charge
ten cents from Buffalo 90 New York
CITY. This has driven all wheat ship
menfs from tine lakes 20 the railroads.
For four years. over tlie war period.
with So much depending upon trans
psrtati0n these boats have remained
idle because uo ONE Inns seen lit 10 do
anything
Amazed. Silver went Go the shipping
/ Board and found that this was rrue-
/ Boats sufficient 20 carry l2iooo uuO
bushels of wheat nt one trip lind been
idle for four wears The railroads said
they were short 5000 ears The Farm
/ Bureau had fOund three-quarter Of
them. The Illinois Agricultural Ass0-
citation found most Of the other - .0Jn /,
but that is another story
With n governor from Middle West
ern state who had heard ~ the situa-
ton and wanted 90 help. the Farm Blu
I reau men went To- see certain fufluen-
/ iial Officials in Washington 10 demand
! that something BE- done % change the
/ rates. put these boats % work hauling
/ wheat and release railway cars 10 haul
+ other farm products from the Middle
West The raiiroaders smiled at the
visitors They said IL was impossible
70 do anything.
Now look here Mr. silver quotes
/ himself do yon railway men know
/ that the farmer members ~ the Amer
/ lean Farm Bureau Federation in q ref
/ crcndum- voted almost unanimously
| against government ownership Of rlil-
roadss But do you think FOR q minute
that. II ! went 20 them with the story.
! Of what you men have permitted 10 he
done Ia wartime they woud not reverse
their action in short order: The farm
erS right now are with y0u. Here's a
ciianc. for you 10 do something for
them luu either 10 IL or the Farm
that Won have refused. and why"
WhereupOn those railway executives
i,oied 90 eaach other again. but with "a
different sort ~ smile on their faces.
1 le Farm Bureau men left
Two days later for the first time in
history. the railroads. Of their own Volt
ton went 90 the Interstate Commerce
Commission and asked that rates be adj
justed % tie basis u permitting a com
pefiug water rate. The commission not
only did This but even gave the boats a
differentisl rate. and now the wooden
boats are back ia commission on the
lakes and. IS Whenever required are haul
ing grain.
Congress Takes Heed.
How different this j. from the story
told some wears ago when old Commo-
dure Vanderbilt. over the same question
II competing freight lines between Chi
cago and New York In reply 10 re-
portcrs. was quoted as saying. THE
public he dafuned-"
Had the full increases I'm freight and
passenger rates asked by the railroads
been allowed. the total would have been
Ear greater than even the 81 500. 900 600
granted and the American farmer would
have shouidered heavier burden than
transportation The American Farm
Bureau Federation. however appropria-
ted funds % investigate the claims ~ |
the railroads and retained Clifford |
Thorue the weli-known attorney 10 rep |
resent il az the hearings before the In /
fersfate Commerce Commission. Mr
Th0rne WAS the only one who argued i
that the Increases asked were excessive
In rendering its decision the commits \
sion fixed the book value Of the rail
roads at S1.1iO.OO0.OOO less than the
on which the railroads execu-
lives asked that the new rates be based
This resulted IN big saving TO farm
err as well as to other shippers. for
which the federation. 50 ably represent
cd az the hearings. can fairly claim
much credit.
Another outstanding achievement
was the securing of credits for farm
FRS Specifically the federation takes
credit for persrmdine the Federal Re
serve Board To direct banks to accept
-foTa warehouse receipts for wool or
" heat rs collateral on loans. Also fol
lowing lis presentation Of facts. the
board deposited S3O.OG0.OO0 I'm Middle
banks 10 finance the moving Of ,
IA grain crop.
More ndamentailg. the fedora ton
laS made n study 81 the whole matter
II farm credits and ha. secured the ap-
,rOval cf the Federal Reserve Board
md ~ the Secretary of the Treasury
o the principle that the farmer is en- :
tiled 10 credit 10 finance his crops dur :
az the year ~ production md over !
efiod Of one year Of consumption of | :
isaf crop 80 financed \ bin has been q
prepared and approved that will be- i
"a Congress this winter elias y
flying farm nosas and requiring banks y
D accept farm per as collateral. a
Among other things claimed as ac- I
in national way by the | I
arm Bureau has been the securing Of
"A appropriate II half a million dollars
, fight the corn boref .apdd for quar-
nfine against this pest IL prevented >,
.rtain Interests from sacIrnz title 10 :,
siriable cotton lands i'm Arizona T.