Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1923-05-10

cost of transportation to market. Re
gardless of the fact that the eastern
railroads were increased greater pei
cent than the other railroads of the
United States, the freight rates in
the western states are still very much
higher than they ar in the east. This
is because our rates were higher ort-
: ginaIly in the west than on any other
railroads. Today the freight rate
on the western railroads is IA per
cent higher than the eastern railroads
and 31.5 per cent higher than the
southern railroads. The agricul-
tural products of this country have
always paid a higher freight rate IN
proportion to their market value than
manufactured articles. Today
wheat, potatoes, hay and other low
priced farm products are paying from
1900 TO 1000 per cent higher freight
rates in proportion TO their market
value than boots, shoes, cotton and
wooden goods. On some Of the higher
classed manufactured goods the
freight rates are so small that they
are hardly a factor in their market
value.
''Since these increases in our freight
rates the railroads have made some
reductions. At the present time the
freight rates on wheat from Idaho to
Chicago are 35 per cent higher than
pr5-war freight rates; the increase on
other farm products ranges from 40
TO so per cent higher than pre-war
prices. Since these increases the
potato growers of this state have
paid an increase in freight rates of
something more than million dol
lars a year, ald the fruitgrowers
something more than three-quarters
OF a million dollars a year It is es-
timated that the increase in freight
rates on farm and range products has
cost the farmers and livestock grow
ers of this state between four and
five million dollars a year. So it is
not hard TO understand what is the
matter with Idaho. In my jude-
ment these excessive freight rates
are responsible for the hardships and
privations that the farmers have suf-
ed the last three years. We have
had something over 40 bank failures
in idaho and there can be but little
doubt but what these high freight
rates are responsible for many, if no.
ali OF our bank failures. AS MEM
Der of the agricultural committee of
the senate, 1 listened to a great many
sad stories told of the hardships aud
privatioas of the farmers in many of
the western states. The story was
tod of 6S suicides on the farms in
Minnesota, North and South Dakota
and Montana last year.
Il have been criticised some here
in Idaho for speaking OF our bank
failures and telling OF the great loss /.
es OF our farmers from the excessive :
freight rates. do nos know how 20
make a great wrong right only BY /
telling the truth about it and pre-
senting the facts to the people; tbs
I propose TO continue to do until the
agricultural interests OF this country I
are given relief by congress from the
great injustice forced upon them by
their own government.
I'm my fight for square deal for
the agricultural and livestock indus
Try OF the country, l hope none of
the good people or idaho VIII think
I have any prejudices against the
railroads, for I fully understand the
importance OF our railroads to the
state, the nation and to our ciyiliza-
ton. l was in Idaho before the
building of the Oregon Short Line,
and 1 know that without railroads
southern Idaho would be a barren
desert, and the man who is not will
ing to give our railroads a fair re-
turn on an honest investment and
economical management OF the rail-
roads is an undesirable citizen and
should be branded as anarchist, but
the corporation that grinds so fire :
that they take the last drop of blood !
that any product will bear to carry /
it TO market; which knowingly par-
perizes and penalties and destroys the
prosperity OF a great people like We
have here in southern Idaho, is
thousand times more dangerous to our
form of government than the anar-
chist.
Two years ago l urged the Off,
cials OF the Union Pacific to reduce
the potato rate; one of the vice presi-
dents came back and said he believed
there would be an increase in the
price OF potatoes and if there was, it
would not be necessary to lower the
freight rate. If the Union Pacific
has ever done friendly act toward
IDAHO, ! have not been able to find
1t; ii is true that they have built some ]
branch lines in this state. but they
have built them out of the money
they have taken from the people BY
their excessively high freight rates
and at times have paid excessive
dividends.
| showed in my remarks in the
senate, in discussing the bill l intro
dueed. that it is very doubtful If
there has been any new money in
vested in the Union Pacific system
for the last 20 years. All 1 could find
after an exhaustive study of reports
furnished by the financial department
of the interstate commerce commits
sion was that thirty-three million dol
lars OF new money had been invested |
in the last 20 years: but at the same |
time, it showed that the Union Pa
cific had sold stock to its favored /
stockholders below the market value,
which would, no doubt, balance the
thirty-three million dollars of new
money invested.
In the last 20 years the Union Pa
cific has built 1881 miles of new
road; most of the Union Pacific has
been double tracked; its heavy grades