The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1921-01-27
DEMAND LOWER
FREIGHT RATES
High Charges on Farm Products
Bring Letters to Congress
Insisting on Cut
oNE-THIRD REDUCTION URGED
Senator Capper Will Lead Fight for
Decrease

Senator Capper Will Lead Fight for
Decrease
Farmers are bombarding congress
with letters complaining about high
freight rates on farm products. The
letters are coming from Minnesota,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa,
in fact from every state.
While Republican leaders had hoped
the Cummins- act, when given a
fair trial, would bring peace, at least
for a time, on the railroad question,
they fear now that it will be live
subject early in the special session of
congress to be called by President
elect Harding soon after he takes Of
fee
Unless something is done to head
off the drive being made by farmers
against present rates congress will
be forced into action. Judging from
the letters coming to capitol hill,
farmers generally want lower freight
rates. They are complaining bitterly
against the guarantee feature of the
Cummins-E -Esch act.
The various farmers organizations
are helping along this drive. Some Of
them even agitate it. This is true
of the Farmers National council,
which was for the Plumb plan and
still favors government ownership.
At the hearing before congressional
committees on farm legislation there
has been complaint after complaint
against the new freight rates. In
stances have been cited where the
railroads received more for hauling
a farmers crop to market than the
crop netted the farmer. At the hear
ings before the house committee on
agriculture, which was considering
legislation for control Of grain ex-
changes, it was shown that the new
freight rates have cut deeply into the
farmers return from his crop.
Senator Capper of Kansas, men,
ber Of the senate committee on ag-
riculture, is expected to take the lead
on legislation to relieve the farmer
from what he regards as oppressive
freight rates. He already has writ
ten to the Interstate Commerce COM
mission asking that the farmer be
granted a six months emergency rate
of about one-third under the general
tariffs. The commission, of course,
will be unable to grant this request.
The Kansas senator likely will then
try to do something in congress.
In his letter to the Interstate Com
merce commission, which was made
public few days ago, Senator Capper
said on the question of burdensome
freight charges:
cat the present time the charges
on car Of grain, or a car of hay,
from farm to market consume ap-
proximately one-half the amount that
the man who grew the stuff gets for
his years work, his outlay and his
investment in producing it.
"When, as is now the case, a farm
er cannot break even on his cost of
production, but is actually out of
pocket for virtually everything he
sells, think you will agree with me
that to take nearly half of these re-
turns away from him in payment for
freight charges on these products, al
| HlOot csluOuuto W IOOOcTys
"a live stock farmer writes me
from Colorado: TO get the cheapest
kind Of shoes costs me $685. and
COW hide today will hardly pay the
freight ITSELF Such complaints are
widespread and are increasing. They
reach me from every agricultural
state.
During this period of market col
lapse, of ruinous prices for farm
products and Of business stagnation,
believe the Interstate Commerce
commission has great opportunity
to give general business the final i'm
petus it needs to set it in motion,
through granting Immediately an
emergency rate on farm products, Of
at least one-third under the existing
tariffs, this rate to remain in effect
for not less than six months from the
date it is promulgated.
"If the business world wants the
farmer to market his products and
liquidate his debts, it has only to
give him the chance. This six months
emergency rate will give him that
chance and the requisite time and he
will promptly take advantage of it.
"When the railroad industry was in
straits at this time last year the In
terstate Commerce commission met
that emergency by promptly making
available large part of the $500, ,000,-
600 advanced to the roads by con-
gress. The wisdom of the commits
sion's prompt action at that time has
since been amply demonstrated"
\ One Of the most daring aerial stunts