Gunnison news-champion., 1921-02-04

called attention TO the way the grab
bIng railroads were overplaying their
hand N asking for increased rates.
Not content with charging all that
the traffic will bear they are restrict
ing business TO such an extent that
their revenues instead Of increasing
are falling of. This Is true, not only
Of freight and express, but in passeng
sr travel Even ordinary sense should
teach better business principles than
this.
/ In a recent issue the Houtrose Prs
bring OI, forcib'y the situation there
/, say IN part:
Farmer. storkmen. commission
men hay, long since come 20 the con
. r.l-.0H hat the increased freight
-a'r- are the most dlsast ruus incubus
that ha- ever attached its.lf 70 the
uCnmrahETC valley. We have al
wags b~'a handicapped on account Of
DISTANCE from market; the long haul
10 thr crHtsrs Of population Our
farmers have always been Obliged TO
take less for their produce than those
. producer living farther east. We
have always been thus handicapped
/ Now comes the last straw. or rather
/ bale OF hay. The increased rates are
/ just about going 70 put this valley
out of business. They must be reiuc-
/ edWc believe that there is no more
/ important matter that the Chamber
/ Of Commerce could take up at this
| time than that Of securing rcc"ssions
[ in freight rates
The freight on apples, potatoes and
other commoditios rs more than tho
stun brings. Hay cannot be shipped
-r# Tho 4.-rrr-Ihflt- 7Fsaa4ssg-.-
c. deep into the stOckman's profits
H.. valley cannot stand up under it.
"N" have delayed sayInR anything
about ihis until we noticed that the
kanaas Clty Packer Of January Sth
has d big article with a ztreamer head
line across the front page: Shippers
Tell Of Freight Rate Effects" Sub
head. read Railroads Over Reach
Themselves In Late Freight Rate Ad-
yances. Next Years Acreage to Be
Reduced"
Shippers from various parts Of the
country add their bit 70 the compcn-
dunn Of experience with freight rateE.
The consensus OF reports is that the
freight shipments are falling off and
that the TRAFFIC WILL NOT BEAR
THE BIG RATE ADVANCES MADE
I WITHIN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
Freight solicitors are trying to get
shipments made but the producers are
realizing that nothing but the cream
of produce car stand the rates and
thousands Of cars Of produce are rot
ting because Of the increased rates.
While railroad employees are pulling
down huge salaries the farmers and
producers are paying the bills out of
losses sustained.
.. The Packer publishes reports from
various parts of the country that are
eye-opencr, showing how the life OF
the commercial world is being throt-
tied by the railroads A dispatch from
Kansas City reads:
Kansas City. Jan THE railroads
|. are beginning to realize that they have
over-reached themselves in the mat
ter Of higher freight rates in SO far rs
fruits and vegetables are concerned
and are making a scramble for freight
tonnage in order TO keep their equip
ment in service. The fact of the mat
ter is, however, the traffic will not
bear the big rate advances made with
in the last few months and II is admit
ted privately BY some Of the big rail-
road men themselves that in order to
regain former tonnage in perishable
/ ituila ahu seRetauleS AM uulu Op u
larger future business in this indus
try, il win be necessary to make 4 re
adjustment Of these rates before an
other crop is produced.
Freight solicitors are now covering
the fruit and vegetable districts try
ing to increase the loading Of perish
able products, but with varying sue
cess. Practically nothing but the
very cream Of the crops is now be-
ing loaded and the balance is left to 20
to waste at producing points. This
produce which is being wasted is q
good wholesome food and with more
reasonable freight rates would be
shipped and in all probability net the
producer something or at least get
him back the cost Of fertilizer. seed
and labor used in growing his crops,
which under present conditions, he is
not receiving from that portion of his
crops which is reaching the market.
During the month of November, the
freight traffic of the Southern Pacific
which taps the Southern California