Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-24
FARMPRODUCTS
RATESDECLARED
TO Be TOO HIGH
Congressional Committee
Says Cut Should Be
Made at Once.

Washington, April 24.-Transporta-
ton rates on products of agriculture,
as on many other commodities now
bear disproportinate relation to the
price of such commodities" and should
be Immediately reduced, according to
findings of the joint congressional
commission of agricultural inquiry, an
nounced Saturday by Chairman An
derson. Not only should these freight
charges come down, the report de-
clared, but in the future rate making
bodies and railroad traffic officers
should give greater consideration to
the relative value of commodities in
the making of rates." and let existing
ducts stand, if necessary to remove
cost burdens from basic materials.
The object of rate making bodies
should be, he said, in presenting the
commission his views, ''to readjust
rates so far as practicable =
to the, relationship existing prior to
1913"
Formulates Proposals
at3utside Of its general conclusions,
the commission advanced three speci-
fic proposals to better Transportation
service for farmers, the first being the
enlargement of competitive avenues
Of distribution through which the
largest number of consumers can rea-
sonably be reached" the second was
the extension of through rates on
grain Ito points of consumption thru
two or more competitive primary
markets." and the third the extension
of the principle that coarse grains.
such as corn, should take lower
charges than breadstuffs. Adequate
car equipment should also be main
tanned, it was added.
The commission found that live
stock shows marked fluctuations in
shipment volume" and that railroads,
stockyards and shippers should CO.
operate to even out the supply at
market points, thus preventing price
and charge impositions while hay, as
the bulkiest farm commoditE, requir-
ed "a reduction in both freight and
sales margin before there can be re-
sumption of normal shipments. "
Costs on livestock distribution also
must be brought down. it was held.
On dairy products the commission
concluded that freight charges had not
had so serious an effect as upon some
other farm stuffs.
Implement Prices Go Down
Moving the study of indirect freight
costs affecting farmers as they en-
pAASSo
Chairman Anderson said that "fertil-
izer prices were found to be close to
pre-war basis except for freight
COSTS Factory prices of farm imple-
ments, it was concluded, "are now
rapidly receding to a lower price level"
but freight rates now accumulate to
the point of being fifteen per cent of
the price farmers pay for machinery,
while before the war the freight
charge constituted but eleven per cent.
Coal and steel, being of intimate
interest" to the farming consuming
population, the commission likewise
declared that freight charges on steel
represented Al per cent of its cost
while bituminous coal Should be sub
jected to reductions in mine prices
freight rates and sales margins u
Wages in the last named industry. it
was added. should he considered in
the light of prevailing economic con-
ditions." and marketing methods i'm
proved.
As to lumber, it was suggested that
railroads could "better afford
assessment of relatively higher rates
on short haul business to give needed
relief to long haul traffic. while
petroleum product were found to be
influenced ''little, if at ALL" by freight
exactions.