The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-08-29
IT'S ROT" SAYS BIG
SHELLMAN PLANTER
CENTRAL WAY PRESI-
DENT REPLIES; ASKS CON-
SHERATON EXPENSES.

SAVANNAH, Cav. A, Win
burn, president of the Central OF Geor-
gia railway, has just written a letter
to O. A. Crittenden, OF Shellman, upon
the question OF cotton freight rates
to Savannah that is interesting. he
goes into the question OF the cost OF
shipping cotton from interior points
and defends the rates charged by the
railroads.
How 1t Started.
The letter of Mr.. Winburn was in
spired by a reply recently received
from him by the Central railway IN
response to reprints OF editorials from
the Manufacturers Record, dealing
with the strike OF the railway shop
men throughout the country.
In response to the receipt OF this
circular Mr. Crittenden, who is well
known business man and planter at
Shellman. sent the following terse
message to the president OF the Cen
trail:
"The freight rate on cotton from
here to Savannah is too high Tor rea-
sonable men to listen to your kind OF
rot"
To Mr.. Crittenden's message Mr..
Winburn issued the following reply:
q have your comment on the clip
pings from the Manufacturers Rec
ord concerning the strike, and regret
that YOU did not have the patience to
read the articles, because ! know that |
YOU are a man who does give thought |
and consideration to matters that al |
feet your interests, and this strike IS
certainly something that touches the |
welfare of every farmer, OF every man |
who has anything to do with cotton, !
and. for that matter, of the entire ma
ton.
Different Views.
Fundamentally, | do not believe
there is any difference between the
things for which the Central of Geor-
gia Railway Company is striving and |
the things which you would like to
see brought about though you un-
doubtedly believe that there is dit
ference in our points OF view
1--WE are Just as anxious to see the |
freight rate on cotton reduced as you |
are. In fact, we should be very glad
to see a reduction in the entire level |
OF freight rates. You understand, OF
course, that the rates are not fixed |
by the railways, but by the interstate |
commerce commission, and they are |
based upon an honest showing OF re-
ceipts and expenditures.
Rates Once Lower.
You will recall that before the gov
eminent took over the railways you |
enjoyed much lower rates on cotton |
and on other commodities. During !
government control wages were very |
rapidly and very materially increased |
and this naturally resulted IN the ne
cessity for an increase in freight rates. |
Since the railways have been restor-
ed to the operation of their owners |
we have put into effect every economy |
that it was possible for us to bring |
about. We have increased efficiency;
we have decreased the amount OF fuel
necessary; we have reduced the
amount paid out for loss and damage
claims. and, in fact, have covered the
entire field with the exception OF re-
duction in wages.
More than sixty cents out OF ev-
cry dollar we receive goes to pay
wages, and this is the largest single
item of expense that we have. You
can readily see, therefore, that before
freight rates can be reduced any fur
Their, the wage bill must be decreas-
ed 1t is against a decrease in wages
that the shopmen are protesting by
means of the strike, hence you can
see that anything bearing upon the
strike is not rot but has direct
bearing upon the interests of the
farmer who ships his cotton to mark
ct.
No Huge Profits.
The effort OF railway management
is not to pile up huge profits, because
any profits are limited by the law.
Our effort is to put our house in or
der and our big task is to get wages
to the basis that prevailed before the
war, taking into consideration, OF
course, the higher cost of living at the
present time When this is done, and
not until then, can you expect lower
freight rates.
Beginning September LIST we will
sell for cash only. No charge purchas-
es will be made. Dawson Hardware
4 M Il