Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-18
EDITORIAL
RATES AND TRAFFIC.

MA Ed AM MAJ i IL
MUCH has been said about high
railroad rates and their effect
on business. The Times Recorder
has voiced the sentiment, along with
scores of other publications, that II
believed railroad rates must come
doWYl- before business can come back
fully En1ightening, however, along
the line Of such speculation, is a
friendly letter received this morning
from w. A. Winburn, president of
the Central of Georgia Railway, re-
porting the actual results of the re-
cent important reduction in the cost
of travel in Georgia by elimination
Of the Pullman surtaX of 80 per cent
and the dropping of the federal tax.
Following is President Winburn'S
letter in full:
Editor, The Times-Recorder,
Americas, Ga.
Dear Sir:--I observe in your is
sue of March fourteenth quota
ton from Mr. Fred w. Putnam,
of the Minnesota Railroad Com
mission, who estimates that the
railroads during recent months
have lost twenty-three per cent of
business they might have had at
lower rates.
You very aptly suggest that
tsnpa act I'M - Jnoltpo. with ypr,,o
thing that never existed probably
is as good as another" This opens
up a wide field for speculation and
perhaps you would be interested
in an experience of the Central of
Georgia Railway with reduced
rates.
On December twentieth the Rail-
road Commission of Georgia elimi-
mated the surcharge on fares for
passengers in sleeping cars and
parlor cars. This was followed on
the first of January, 1922, by the
elimination of the Federal tax of
eight per cent on such fares; also
by the discontinuance Of the same
tax on passenger fares The re-
suit was that the berth rate for an
average nights ride for passeng-
ers within the state was $3.50 in
stead of $4,05, certainly a sub
stantial reduction. According to
the theorists this should have i'm
mediately have stimulated travel
to such an extent as would COM
pensate the railways for the re-
duced rate charged each individ-
ual, but practice proved the con-
trary to be the case.
Our records show that the berth
sa4es-aHd seat sales for the months
OF January and February, 1922,
under the lower rates, were less in
number, and of course, less in
amount, than the sales for She
same months of 1921, when the
higher scale prevailed.
This would seem to indicate that
some other cause than high rates
Is holding back travel and that a
decrease IN rates is not>inevitablv
attended by an increase in the
volume of traffic.
Very truly yours.
w. A. WINBURN.
PRESIDENT, Central of Georgia Rail-
way Company.
savannah, Ga, March II 1000
Mr.. Wmburn's letter is very int,
esting But we doubt that it is con
elusive We are inclined to wonde
whetheEthere is not a considera HI
relationship between the volume O
pasSehgeF travel and general condi
"ons, and whether, after all, genera
conditions are not seriously handj
capped by the high cost of freieh
transportation. Were freight rate
10 be lowered considerably at once
we oeheYe it would be several week
before the results would begin t
snow prceptibly, because it would ca
Tor a new REIMBURSEMENT all alon
the line.
Possibly we are wrong. but we Ell
believe freight transportation cost
constitute the key, not passenee
rates.
Harding income tax was SIS, O0t
so the law may be changed soon
Most musical comedies would /
better if the curtain didn't 90 II
higher than four feet.
opportunity doesn't give a rap
your are asleep.
Scientist says pretty women ha
brains, but a scientist will say an
thing for publicity.