Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-25
PRESENT FREIGHT
RATES TOO HIGH
KAN5ANS CLAIM
Charges for Shipping Live
stock and Farm Products
Should Be Cut to Core
spOnd With Market.


Topeka, KanS., Jan. 24.-Present
freight rates on live stock and farm
products are too high and should
be reduced 10 correspond to the
lower market values. This is the
argument in a petition which has
/ been filed with the Interstate Com
merce Commission by the Kansas
Livestock association and similar
! organizations in other states.
The petition alleges that the re-
! cent advances granted the carries
/ are unjust, excessive and discrimi-
natory In the western district
! alone, it is claimed. these rates will
bring to the carriers a revenue If
$3.50, 100000 in excess of the
amount needed to produce the 6
per cent net income. The valuation
upon which the present rates were
based was professionally high and
IN many cases the rates upon live
stock are confiscatoly the petition
ers charge.
Reasons For Complaint.
Setting forth the reasons for fiji
ing a complaint at this time, the
petition says in part:
THE financiaV conditions of the
country are such that it is impos,
sihle to secure loans whereby the
grain and feed crops can be fed
to the livestock of the country, and
as a result they are being rapidly
moved to market in liquidation Of
il debtedness secured by mortgages
upon livestock, upon the grain, cot
ton and other products that are
stored, thus requiring rapid ship
ment of such products to the mark
cts upon the enormously high rates
now prevailing, and when these
products reach the market they
are selling for less than the PR
war prices, and paying from rs ~
$50 per cent greater freight rates
Enormous quantities of well Sc
cured paper of municipal govern
ments, railroads, public utilities
and industrial concerns, and the
notes, bonds ana obligations of for
elgn governments are offered at
high rates Of interest, and thus It
is that the demand for money IS
so great that it is impossible for the
country to supply it.
Production in the value OF for
eign exchange has placed Il serious
embargo upon exports of farm
products to foreign countries. 50
that such money as can be obtained
costs unusually high rates of in
terest and general liquidation at a
sacrifice of great Abss to stock
raisers and farmers. COmplainants
say that these conditions demand al
4 it,g = 4 tt,,. r
these advanced rates on livestock
and farm products.
THE result of this condition IS
that the farmers and stOckmcn are
unable to put their livestock in con
dition for market and are conf |
PEELED to sell it for whatever they |
can get in an unmarkelable condi- |
ton as the daily transactions at IL !
big markets demonstrate. On that |
account the grain and feed prod |
ucts of the country can not be I
used for the ordinary purposes to |
any reasonable extent and the stock |
unfit for market on reaching there !
can find no purchasers for the pur-
pose of feeding grain, forage and ,
cOttOnseed products of the country |
used in fattening live stock for the
market. Further, even if the finan-
cial aid were obtainable the expense
of the business and marketing OF
livestock upon prices present or
render the business un-
profitable.
Sheep Decline in Value.
sheep have so declined in value
that they will scarcely pay the
freight to market from the far dis
ant territory from which they are
and from which the enor-
nously high rates created by the
percentage advances are applied.
THE wool is unstable and the
lrops of last year are stored with
10 buyers, the grain and cattle be-
ng shipped into the United States
rom Canada in open competition
With the home product, tending to
till further reduce the priceN and
i'd to the surplus of the markets.
THE banks are unable to furnish
money or secure money or to re-
discount their paper for the pur-
rose of carrying on the business N
he ordinary way and to enable
eeders, ranchmen and fal mers to
ecurc cattle upon which tC operate
.old and mature their product and ;
market it, ana as the demand may s
equire, at prices that will pay any
hing approaching the cost of pro-
uction," II