Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-11-17

years when other industries we're max
Ing very large profits, when the prices
Of farm products and the wages of la
Dor were soaring to unheard-of heights,
the earnings upon railroad investment
In the United States were held within
very narrow limits and that they have
during the past four years progress
sively declined.
Roads Handicapped More Than Other
Business
2. The railroads are responsible to
the public for providing adequate
transportation. Their charges are lin
tied by public authority, and they are
in very large respects (notably for la.
bor) compelled to spend money on a
basis fixed by public authority. The
margin within which they are permit
ted to earn a return upon their invest
ment or to offer inducements to attract
new capital for extensions and better
ments Is extremely limited However
much the railroads might desire, there
fore, to reduce their charges In times
of depression, 1t will be perceived that
the limitations surrounding their -ac-
ton do not permit them to give effect
to broad and elastic policies which
might very properly govern other lines
of business not thus restricted.
It>i1as been urged upon the railroads
that a reduction In rates will stimu-
late traffic and that increased traffic
will protect the carriers from the loss
incident to a reduction In rates The
railroad arrangements cannot disguise
from themselves that this suggestion Is
merely conjectural and that an adverse
result of the experiment would be dis
astIous not only to the railroads, but
to the public, whose supreme need is
adequate transportation. Consequently
the railroad arrangements cannot feel
justified in placing these instrumental
ties. so essential to the public welfare,
at the hazard of such an experiment
based solely upon such conjecture
Farmers Especially Need Lower Rates
It is evident, however, that existing
transportation charges bear In many
cases a dsproportionate relationship to
the prices, at which commodities can be
sold in the market and that existing labor
and other costs OF transportation thus
imposed upon industry and agriculture
generally a burden greater than they
should bear. This Is especially true OF
agriculture The railroad arrangements
are feeling sensitive to and sympathetic
with the distressing situation and de-
sire 10 do everything to assist in reliev-
ing it that is compatible with their duty
to furnish the transportation which the
public must have.
At the moment railroads in many cases
are paying Acc. an hour for unskilled
labor when similar labor Is working along
side the railroads and can easily be OBJ
tanned by them at zoe. an hour. The
total of considerably over $1,000 100000 to
unsiiled labor alone. However desirable
it may be to pay this or that schedule
paid out Of railroad earnings unless the
industries. which use the railroads are
capable Of meeting such charges
The railroads, and through them the
their efforts to economize by schedule
OF working rules and conditions now in
2orce as heritage from the period Of
Fed sder b s9n5o or ana FPhsd od ~ he Ra
expensive, uneconornic and unnecessary
from the point Of view Of railroad opera
tion and extremely burdensome upon the
prevents pre- The railroads from dealing
Suitably YIN Ssr costs #
aR ons H Scs ought q oo ana @aees N
r roads are pssss have these rules RUE r and
w?TF sa gsa isas s As sseE REDUCTION
T s sa@ ss0RS:SRs aSa i Eb BsslBs8sRf
The railrosas wlIl proceed with az posi-;