Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-09
RAIL PROBLEMS PROHIBITION
AND FARM CREDITS PUT FIRST
CONTINUED From First Page.

Gus measures arc pending before
you. and the best Judgment Of Con-
Sress ought TO he expressed in a
prompt enactment at the present SEES
sion.
But American agriculture needs
more than added credit facilities. The
credits will help to solve the press
ing problems growing out OF war
inflated land values and the drastic
Gehation OF three years ago.
Transportation ProbIemn.
Permanent and deserved agricul-
tural good fortune depends on bet
ter and cheaper transportation.
Here is an outstanding problem de-
handing the most rigorous considera-
tion. In the last half OF the
year now closing the railways, broken
In carrying capacity because OF mo-
tive power and rolling stock out of
order. though mistakenly declaring
to the contrary, cmharEocd his ship
ments or denied him cars when for
tunate markets we're calling. Too
frequently transportation failed.
while perisha bic products were turn
ihS il'bi l'bSSlblt prtuI W lpSScS
counted in tens OF millions.
know Of no problem exceeding In
Importance this one OF Transports
ton. In our complex and interde-
PENDENT mode OF life transportation
Is essential to our very existence. E.
Manifcstly, we have need to begin
on plans to coordinate all transport
tation facilities. We should more
effectively connect up our rail lines
with our carriers by sea. We ought
TO reap some benefit from the hun
dreds of millions expended OF in
land waterways. proving our capac-
ity to utilize as well as expend. We
| ought to turn the motor truck into
railway feeder and distributor in
| stead OF destroying competitor.
1t would be folly to ignore that
we live in IA motor aEc. Tho motor
! car reflects our standard Of living
and gauges the speed OF our pres
day life. 1t long ago ran down
Simple Living and never halted to
inquire about the PROSTATE figure
| which fell as It's victim. With fun
recognition of motor ear transporta-
ton we must turn il to the most
practical use.
Costs Must Come Down.
This transportation problem cam
not he waved aside. The demand for
lower cost on farm products and
| basic materials cannot be ignored.
Rates horizontally increased. to meet
| increased wage OUTLAWS during tho
| war imitation are not easily reduced
| When some very moderate wage re-
auctions were effected last summer
| with 5 per cent horizontal rcduc-
| ton In rates. ! sought at that time.
| In n very informal way, to have the
| railway managers go before the In
terstate Commerce Commission and
agree to "A heavier reduction on farm
| products and coal and other basic
commodities and leave unchanged
the freight tariffs which a very largo
portion of the traffic was able to
bear.
Neither the managers nor the com
mission saw tit to adopt the suggcs-
ton, so we had the horizontal rcduc-
ton, too slight 10 be felt by the
higher class cargoes and too little
| 10 benefit the heavy tonnage calling
most loudly FOR relief.
Government operation does not af-
| ford the cure. II was government
| operation which brought us To the
| very order OF things against which
we now rebel. and we are liquidating
the costs of that supreme folly.
Surely, the genius OF the railway
builders has not become eStinct
among the railway managers. New
economies, new deficiencies la CO.