Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-27
HITTING BACK

The railroads have been considered fair same for
everybody, and they enjoyed the immunity Of no closed
Season. Whenever anyone had a grievance he could us.
ually find a peg somewhere by means of which to hang
it onto the railroads, and a large number of us have
made full use OF that opportunity. Among others, rep
reeentatives of some of the large commission house in
terests have been using the railroads as scapeeoats in
order to relieve themselves of the criticism which has
been leveled at them because Of the widespread differ
ence between the price paid to the grower of perishable
products and the price|collected from the ultimate con-
sumner thereof,
The railroad people are. accustomed to being ham
mered, but enough is enough. and the Railway Age hits
back vigorously at the commission men. As a sample OF
rs method this paragraph is quoted:
1T has long been known that the commits
sion merchants dealing in fruits and vegetables
have been among the most remorseless prof
iteers in this country. The above facts show
that in addition to continuing their efforts to
enrich themselves by paying producers as little
as possible for their products, and charging con-
suners as much as possible for them, they are
now trying to force down freight rites by a cam-
paign Of Justification. A congressional invesiga-,
ton of the railroad situation is soon to be held.
In view of the fact that these commission people
are showing such earnest interest in the subject
of freight rates, we suggest to the congressional
committee the propriety and expectancy of as
certainins not only the effect of the present
> freight rates upon the movement of perishable
commodities, but also the effect upon the well
fare of both the producer and the consumer OF
the exorbitant toll taken from them by the
commission merchant and the retail dealer, es-
pecially the former"
8 OtheI paragraphs deal in similar fashion with onions,
spinach and other commodities, and the article winds up
with this singer: ~
ION April 1s the average price paid to the
producer for cabbage in Texas was 800 per
ton. The cost of transporting it to Chicago was
$3.50 per ton. This includes not only the
freight rate, but also the cost Of icing the re-
fne4xator car ana the federal tax on freight
charges. The total amount that the producer
reeefsed for producing It, and that the railroad.
received for hauling It about 1,30O miles was
1.s7 cents a pound, or 33s.S q ton. On the
sans date cabbage retailed in Chicago for Z
c4nts 4 pound, or $4,000 a ton, or sos. 10 per
ten more than the total amount that the pro-
Queer received for producing it, and that the
faiiyoad receiyed for bringing it to Chicago.
@#ss WIsyS did this sios.7o per ton-which was Is
N celt Of the total retail pree-go to? A very
iaxueEpart OF Il went into the pockst1 Of the
S#RssaaG mission men who are carrying on the pres
mt pFcpaganda, and the rest went into the
nockak Of the retailer. The toll taken by them
- fopr times - much - the railroad received
~ hsuling the cabbage from Texas to Chicago
msy be ~suggested that In IT. articls the Railway
aaAnopts precisely the methodss which havs been
~ many others without arriving anyvhsss. and
lave BEEN somsdnes applied without rhyme Of
SSSS1ssaaN IN the case OF this railroads.. namely. that Of
SsXfsSsnSAl6Gxs Us To one class Of business men RESPONSIBILITY
%%%Sa6S6fvNhich have been created by several Different
Tcr instance, the commission mai VI charged
1870 RrsaA bstvssn the price raid the Florida
f@Sas 1N6eess fstShs ana he price 1atd sbg the cAleast
EF42s oueh.a ocnpaftson v obvfoulay untalr. y
XX8 &M N.WEH