Evening journal., 1921-08-20
IExrRAoRpINAny sHIpMENrs OF FARM pnopucrs.

shipments or farm prOOuctS OF almost kh"o
extraordinarily large in spite OF complaint heard
in Delaware and other States regarding the present rail-
way rates shown by data given the current issue OF
the Railway Age The facts presented make plain that
the country going have plenty food for some time
to come
The present freight have widely attacked by
theorists says the Railway Age the ground that they
higher than the traffic bear" 1t has been argued
that they have prevented the movement OF much ralc
and that this been OF the Of the pro-
longed business depression.
The facts regarding the shipments farm products re-
fute this theory Railway have been advanced as
much in proportion farm products other COM
modtes. The prices Of farm products have declined
since the rates advanced than the prices OF
any other very large group OF commodities. Therefore
this theory the rates on agricultural products shouh
lie especially dfcult for be ralc to bear and should
sharply curtsil its movement
The facts are Illuminating Paradoxcal as il may seem
while the total tralc moving has been abnormaly small
the shipments OF farm products have been almost un-
precedenty large Throughout the present year to date
shipments OF grain and grain products have been much
larger than 1920 1919 before the present freight
rates nxed In the eight weeks ending July 23 the
shipments Of grain and grain products were 9O5 cars
greater the weeks OF 1920 and this typical
what has going throughout the present year
very extensive and energetic propaganda being
carried on few months to show that IL was and
would continue to be impossible for the farmers to ship
their fruits vegetables market the present rates
What the facts9 During the of 1920 to Au-
gust the total shipments of fruits and vegetables were
1896 carloads while in the OF 1921 up TO the
same date the total shipments i7i 800 carloads
There has been corresponding increase in shipments
Of other kinds OF produce From January 10 August 6,
1920 shipments OF butter 3i6O0O00 pounds while
during the same period Of 1921 they were 3i6SOoOOO
pounds Shipments Of cheese increased from io55OoOOO
pounds to ii30OOoO pounds shipments OF dressed poul
try s6O0OOO pounds to 93sOOOOO pounds shipments
OF eggs from iO3OOOOO cases to ii,5OOOOO cases.
II said that cantaloupes could not be shipped from
the Imperial Valley OF California to the eastern market
the present rates The number and tonnage OF cana-
loupes shipped greater than in 1920
It was said that the large peach crop Of Southern
Georgia could not TO market under the present
rates The Department Of Agriculture reports that ship
ments peaches from Southern Georgia during the
son just ended twice great during the 1920
season. and growers regard the fairly successful
despite the lower prices this year. tabuaton OF carot
shipments to August 1 shows $500 cars shipped from
Southern Georgia and about iO5OO from the entire
State In 1920 the carot shipments were $500 from the
entire State up to August T."
may said however that freight rates are only rela-
lively small part OF the prices OF farm prodcts
that they restricting the movement OF cheaper and
more bulky commodities in whose cost TO the user the
railway rate is larger factor There is class
modities bulky the freight rates on which are
relatively higher in proportion to the prices for when
they sell than sand gravel and stone The shipments
sand gravel and the seven weeks ending July 6
were 80 i-3 per cent than they were in the same
weeks OF 1920
The facts show beyond any rational question" the Age
says that traffic OF all kinds bear the present rates
that present small volume OF traffic is due to gen.
business conditions and not TO the present freight
There ought be reductions in railway rates IN
the future but they should not be based false ground
and they should not be made until the traffic OF the rail-
ways has increased their operating expenses have
been reduced enough to enable the railways on
rates to make reasonable return"