Evening star., 1923-11-02
Cutting of Freight Rates
On Wheat Alone Opposed

That the railroads would not vol
unfairly reduce freight rates was GER
tam despite the suggestion by Presi-
dent Coolidge some time ago that a
cut on wheat charges at least would
greatly benefit the farmer. 1t is now
pointed out by many editors, who
nave been closely watching the sit
uatlon,, that even with rates at their
EEpresent>high figure railroad securities
are under pressure and the owners
are not even Yet receiving an ade-
quate return on their investment.
This is emphasized by the SPRING
held Union, which recalls, in addition.
that in certain parts of the country
there are serious problems in the
financial rehabilitation of railroads
that are doing business at loss in
spite Of any economies they can make.
country that Is considered such fair
game for sacrifice for the benefit of
others and there is no other business
In the country that Is really so essen
tial to the prosperity of all business"
Looking at the question from much
the same viewpoint, the Cleveland
Plain Dealer agrees "the practice of
making the railroad the goat for
every reimbursement in commerce and
INDUSTRY ought to be abandoned The
ONO. state Journal, however feels
general reduction in freight rates,
fr the railroads could stand IL, prob
ABLY would do the farmer more good
than q special reduction on one prod
uct offset by advances on Others but
the real hope for the farmer and
for the public in general is in the
adoption by the government of pol
ICY or fewer special favors, rather
than more"
The Illinois State Journal thinks
the trouble with the wheat marke ct
is Worldwide trouble; too much
wheat and too little consumption.
Freight rates on the American conti-
nent are only a small factor Because
of the large surplus Of wheat the
Flint journal sees he necessity ito
build up markets in foreign countries,
but it is impossible to shave the price
Of wheat without making the loss to
wheat farmers much larger" how
ever; ''the carriers could increase
their tonnage by making low export
rates" therefore. "the farmers and
the railroads would both derive some
benefit from a low export rate
Calling attention to the emergency
tariff and many other remedies that
have been proposed.a the -. Brooklyn
EaSIe nOlQS .In6 PrGS1CentsSSI IEuggeS-
ton els typical of the kind of help
the republican party has been Offering
the farmers for several years." and
1aughingly compares. 1T with the
strenuous efforts OF the Hippodr ONE
clown, Marceline, to assist the stage
hands. when Marceftne' wasn't step
ping on his own feet he was getting
in the way of the real workers" In
a more serious vein, however, the
Eagle sets forth "the real objection
to this proposal is that it is one more
attempt to evade the main problem
of the American agriculturist. An
other objection to the proposal is that
it is in the interest of a special class,
which is to be helped at the expense
Of the. general public and the rail-
roads"
The inclination is to" "accept any
freight REDUCTION as the augury of fu-
ture reductions all along the line"
says the Detroit News, but it seems
there Is a catch In the proposed cut.
That will not do at all. There can
be no excuse for penatfzing all ship
pers that one class Of shippers may
profit . temporarily. Freight rates
should not be manipulated on the see
saw principle, with one part of the
public alternately in the air and then
jolted to the ground" Due to the
practice of railroads charging less
than water rates when the two lines
come into competition. the Milw wauke &c
Journal argues these losses must be
made up elsewhere. and they result in