, 1922-05-19
WEST To INSIST
ON BENEFITS Of
rate REDUCTION
Any Program Approved by
Harding and Rail Execu-
tives Should Recognize
Demands.

WARRINGTON. May 1s-western
business and agricultural interests
VIII demand recognition and relief In
a rate reductions resulting from
the forthcoming conferences between
p-~zident Harding and railroad execu-
tfves. Senator Kendrick Of Wyoming
deciarsi today
Prior consideration should b given
western producers. shippers and on
sumers. Senator Kendrick said. be
cause OF their geographic isolation
and consequent handicap IN excessive
rates due TO long railroad hauis; be
cause tho prosperity OF the country at
laree depends primarily on the pros
per4ty Of producers, and because of
>Ae special situation arising from bad
crops and over-rapid deflation in az
r1cultural commodities.
-The present high freight rates I'm
pose upon western states a burden
far greater than they should bear.
and ore which they are able to bear
only through the courage and forti-
tude of their people," Senator Ken
drick said. The west occupies a pc
GUITAR position with relation to rail-
road rates. 1t is caught going and
coming Producers shipping to east
ern consuming centcrs arc compelled
30 pay excessive carrying charges on
their products, in some instances al
most equailing tho market value Of
the product itsef. on the other hand.
western consumers who rely on east
orn manufacturing centers for many
of the necessities OF life must pay ex-
cessive freight rates on manufac-
tured goods. The result is that the
reople of the west are caught be
tween the upper and neither mill
stones Unless they are given imme-
diato relief in the form of lower
freight rates the development and
progress of tho west. which forms
the backbone OF tho nation. will be
seriously retarded II not halted com
Iietely.
This situation must be recognized
Nd acted upon. In h fatal COM
merce Of the nation that which af-
sects the west Is relatively sr.all. The
tonnage Of goods originating in the
west and shipped into the west is not
equal to the tonnage originating or
having its destination a ot the
Mississippi river. Xet because OF the
peculiar problems involved in the
long haul and other economic handi-
APPS under which the west labors. It
is of the most Vita consequence that
relief be afforded Immediately. Some
relief a come. but II is not enough.
Railroad rates must be lowered still
further. either voluntarily or invol-
UNFAIRLY.
ut is to be hoped that the coming
conference, called by President Hard
ing in recognition of a national emer-
gency. will result in prompt and eff
fective treatment of h general prob
lem as affecting the whole country,
and of the special problems affecting
western states like Wyoming and Its
neighbors.
Railroad rates a mako or break
TIE west. When railroad executives
rand the executive officers Of the gov
ernmcnt come to realize this they
will have taken a long step toward
remedying pne of h most critical
problems and pressing evils which
confronts the country. II they are
far-sighted, they will act without de-
lay. There is no time like the pres
ent. Every days delay means post
ponement Of national prosperity, for
the nation cannot be prosperous I'M
less the west is prosperous.