Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-10-26
DEMANDS LOVER
FREIGHT RATES
FARM BLOC SERVES NOTICE OF
PLAN FOR MODIFICATION OF
TRANSPORTATION ACT.
WANTS GUARANTEE REMOVED
Senator capper Says Objectionable
Features of Law Must Be Repealed
if American Farmers Are to Be
Saved From Ruin.
az JAMEs p HoRNApAY

BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY
WaShington.-Th farm bloc in pub
lie life under the leadership of Senator
Arthur Capper (Rep., Kans.l is serving
notice on all interested persons that
unless there is another sharp reduction
in railroad freight rates the bloc will
seek to make over the transportation
act of February, 1920, at the next SEES
sion of the congress whether that
session shall begin in November or
December The Kansas senator in
serving this notice says he greatly
regrets that the senate did not at the
last session act on his bill repeating
section 15-A Of the transportation act
the rate-making clause.
''This bill if passed would have
given state railroad commissioners
more control over rates., says Senator
Capper. 1T would have terminated
the excessive charges by removing the
so-called guarantee in the Esch-Cum-
Minis law and so have made possible
the return of good times and a genuine
revival of business in the only way In
which they can come to stay
"The farm bloc at the next session,
says the senator in conclusion. will
urge the passage of this bill, or a
similar measure, repeating the objec-
tionable provisions of the Esch-Cum-
Minis act Sooner or later this must be
done Far better to do it sooner and
Il
contest which has brought our greatest
prosperity maker, the farm, to the
verge of ruin"
There seems to be small prospect of
the railroads voluntarily making any
further reduction in freight rates IN
the near future, or of the interstate
commerce commissions ordering the
reduction, and so it would appear that
when the congress reconyenes the pro-
posed repeal of the rate-making sec
ton Of the transportation act will be
a real issue.
It Already Is an Issue.
Indeed, it is very much of an issue
in a good many congressional districts
torial contests. The farm bloc. which
by no means confines its activities to
the congress, is seeking to put large
number of candidates for the congress
on record in regard to freight rates
and the proposed repeal of the rate
making section of the railroad act
of 1920.
The farmers in some sections of the
country, it is asserted, have the cordial
support of manufacturing industries
in their demand sfor lower freight
rates. From all accounts, transporta-
ton rates and rates of taxation are
the topics the farmers and the BUSH
ness men of the country are most in
terested in at the present time. This
being the case, men who are seeking
seats in congress are being compelled
to discuss these subjects, it is asserted,
whether they prefer to do it or not
In his appeal to the farm bloc in con-
gress and out Senator Capper says
railroad officials estimate that for the
last five months of the present calen-
dar year the class 1 railroads will earn
net operating incomes of $480,000,0O0
This, he says, will make total of
$900,O00,OO0 for the year compared
with earnings of S615, 100000 for the
calendar year 1921. These total earn
ings equal 5 per cent on $18,00O,000,OOO,
the total property value of the rail-
roads in the United States.
Big Crops May Be Liability.
The senator then makes this appli-
cation of his figures:
Compare this with the reported
loss this season of more than half of
this country's great fruit crop because
it cost the growers more money to ship
their fruit than to let it rot. Now it is
the grain belts turn to suffer. The
stockmen will come next. Unless we
have lower freight rates speedily our
big crop from which we have hoped so
much, will become more of a liability
than an asset. Much lower prices this
harvest, three years of losses, and the
higher han-War rail rates are consum-
ing our farmers. They have reached
their last ditch. They can endure no
more
The senator says that eff we are to
save the situation and this is, no spe-
cial plea since it vitality concerns the
general welfare let me say most
sole1nnly and earnestly that the rail-
roads must voluntarily and at once
make further rate reductions; or in de-
fault of such action that the interstate
commerce commission must with ut
most promptness put such rates into
effect"
Passage " Sweet Bill Urged.
AS soon as congress conVenes it will
be asked by the disabled American vet
Grams of the World war to expedite
passage of the new Sweet bill, which,
its sponsors say, rectifes inequalities
in the present statutes governing the
case of disabled men.
Representative Burton w. Sweet of
Iowa (Rep.), and Senator David I.
Walsh Of Massachusetts (Dem), are
expected to handle the legislation,
which proposes to amend the present
law consolidating into the United
States veterans bureau the several