Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1921-11-02
! RURAL ACTIVITIES AND NEWS
OF INTEREST TO THE FARMER
FREIGHT RATE CUT
IS FARMER VICTORY
Charges On Grain and Hay Ordered
Lowered Bureau Seeks Further
Reductions "

Organized farmers have won a de-
cisive victory in their fight for lower
railroad rates, the Minnesota Farm Blu
reau federation says III a report pre-
pared to inform it's members that the
ordered sweeping reductions, i'll rates OH
wheat, coarse grains and hay
Following hearings in Washington,
at which Thomas e. eastman OF OWa-
tonna testified as the official represen
tative of the Minnesota farm bureau,
g. the commission ordered rates reduced
not later than Nov. 90 The order di-
reefs that rates on wheat and hay be
cut half as much as they were increased
in August, 1920, and that rates on
coarse grains be set 10 per cent below
the new rates OH wheat. 1t is esti-
mated that the order means reduc-
ton of 25 per cent OH coarse grain, and
that the average reduction on all COM
modities affected amounts to is or Is
per cent ill., .-.ft =.
The rate slash came just after the
American Farm Bureau federation took
legal action to force reductions, by fill
ing a formal petition with the Inter-
state Commerce commission asking that
successive cuts be ordered until the
whole rate increase of 1920 is wiped
out. The farm bureau will continue it's
fight for lower rates. officers of both
the state and national organizat ton as
sert.
1.-THE commissions order cutting
rates on hay and grain is a great vic
tory for the farmers, because it means
that the United States government adj
mits our contention that high freight
rates have penalized agriculture and
virtually created blockage between
the farmer and his market Mr.. Cash
man said, "The Interstate Commerce
commission has recognized that rates
must be reduced. Winning the fight
for the principle of rate reduction is
even more important to the farmer than
the actual savings that may result from
this one order. Other reductions will
follow. A large part of this years
grain crop already has been marketed,
hut the saving in freight on what is
left ON the farms is estimated at several
million dollars for the northwest alone.
Even the saving Will amount 10 lAtHS
times the total amount of. money the
farmers have invested in the farm bu-
reau.
"Next year the actual cash saving
should be tremendous: it is estimated
at $5O.0OOOOO."
The order for reduced rates is step
in the right direction, but only the first
step farm bureau federation officials
said Further reductions must be Or
dered until railroad rates are brought
down to normal, they said.
Cuts in freight rates are direct
benefit to the farmer, according to II.
w. Peck. director of agricultural eX-
tension work at University farm.
T. "Freight rates are a direct tax on
the farmers income Mr.. Peck sald
a land a decrease in freight charges
! means direct increase in his returns
Mr.. Peck also testified before the
commission, urging rate reductions. The
farm bureau declarations Of the middle
west led the farmers fight for lower
rates. as a result of the midwest farm
bureau conference held at headquarters
of the Minnesota federation this sum-