The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-09-16
GOV. McMASTER HITS
EXCESSIVE Freight RATES
DISCUSSES TRANSPORTATION
QUESTION IN LETTER To
GOVERNOR OF COLORADO

Gov. McMaster and the railroad
commission are making q valiant en-
deavor to bring the railroads TO time
on the exhorbant freight rates now
charged. The rates on some classes of
freight are practically conftscatory,
eating up the full prices of the ship
ments Not satisfied with this the
corporations are endeavoring to es-
cape payment Of just share of tax
alton in the state. The governor in u
letter to the governor of Colorado
says:
"South Dakota will gladly cooper
ate with Colorado and render every
assistance possible in bringing about
2 reduction in transportation charges.
CAS- a matter of fact. South Da
kota has realized for scme time that
prosperity can never be fully restored
to agriculture until TIE exorbitan.
and unreasonable. transportation
charges are materially reduced.
'For several months the State
Railroad Commission has been ag-
gressit ely active in this matter. Some
time ;,eo South Dakota and other
states filed petition with the In
terstate Commerce Commission ask
ing for material reduction in rate,
on lire stock, grain, grain products
and may. The hearing has been in
progress during the past four weeks
end has just terminated and we are
now awaiting the decision.
''Tn addition thereto the State
Railroad commission has filed two
special complaints on behalf Of South
Dakota; in one instance asking for
reduction on live stock rates, and in
the other asking for reduction on
grain, grain products and hay, be-
cause these rates, as applies to South
Dakota by the Interstate Commerce
commission are extremely oppres-
sive and wholly unwaranted and
unjustifed. The State Railroad COM
mission has also filed thirteen other
complaints asking for reduction on
commodities of various classes.
"The agriculture industry is the
basic industry of the country and
particularly Of South Dakota, ars
slowly being strangled and destroyed
by the unfair, unjust, unreasonable
and oppressive transportation charg.
es now imposed. Either the rates on
agricultural products must be lower
ed or the industry will be ruined.
Eve are informed that present rates
must he maintained in order TO allow
the railroads to earn per cent. on
their investment. The present rate,
in South Dakota can never permanent
ly earn the railroads per cent, or
any other rate, for the reason thai
these rates are destroying the agri-
cultural industry Of the state, as we'll
as paralizing and dcmoralizing all
other lines OF business with the result
that the business of the roads will
steadily decrease. This short-sighted
and unwarranted policy will not only
DESTROY agriculture Of the the STAGE,
but will in the end destroy the rail
roads themselves.
"A car of sheep shipped from Ka-
doka, South Dakota, to 81. Paul
brought the owner $l2 net after de-
fraying the freight charges. A car
Of sheep shipped from Wyoming to
st. Paul failed to bring price suffic-
lent to defray the Transportation
charges. A car Of cattle shipped from
North Dakota to ST. P,ll brought the
owner SIS net after paying transpor-
tatlon thereon. Innumafable instances
are or record Of farmer; in South na-
kota shipping hides and other pro-
ducts where the sale price was not
sufflcient TO pay transportation
charges. Oats west of the Missouri
River were selling at 1Oc per bushel
and the freight rate thereon to Min
neapois was lie per bushel. The rail
roads are exacting SO per cent. of the
total value of the corn crop raised in
South Dakota as toll for transporta-
tion charges.
Nov the railroads are not satis-
fled with maintaining rates that are
crushing the life out of the greatest
industry Of the state, are not satisfied
with the arrogant arbitrary and in
competent service they have rendered
live stock shippers the past two years
IA service that has financially ruined
hundreds Of live stock growers Of the
state, but they now come ami bring
q court action to restrain the state
tax commission from levying an as
sessment deemed fair against the rail-
road property. They claim that the
tax commission has assessed their pro
perty at $50 per cent. Of it's value, and
that farm lands are assessed at only