Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-06-02

JARplNE ON TRANSPORTATION


JARplNE ON TRANSPORTATION
The Secretary of Agriculture, Mr..
Jaraine. addressing the Midwest
Transportation Conference, expressed
his conviction that the motor vehicle
will find its place in the scheme Of
transportation "but we may help it to
find that place by wise restraint Of its
more enthusiastic proponents and by
refraining from regulation which may
have Gripping effect" all Of which
appeals to good sense.
But when the Secretary declared
from investigations made by his de-
partment that one thing I'VE know
definitely-there is no basis for the
fear that the motor truck is going to
compete seriously with the railroads"
one feels like inquiring whether his
examination has shown that the
motor truck is not at the present
time interfering very materially with
the business Of the railroads. 1t isn't
wise to Jump at conclusions but
when one sees railroad freight re-
ceipts falling on in a growing coun-
try and motor trucks multiplying the
inference that the latter are doing
some of the business the former
would like to do-must do If 1t is to
prosper-Secretary Jardine's assur-
ances about the future aren't so very
reassuring regarding the immediate
present. We hope he is right sbout
the future, but for the present we
better see that we are not sponsoring
conditions which in effect subsidize
the trucks.
The governments investigation has
shown,as it might be expected to do.
that the truck Is become essential to
modern methods Of business and In
many instances meets demand that
should be satisfied. This demand is
mostly for short hauling and for more
convenient distribution of products.
It was found that the longer hauls
have not proved profitable. Mr.. Jar
dine cited a reputable concern that
placed feet Of 35 trucks on haul
over a distance of 100 miles and met
with financial loss.
IL the delivery in large centers OF
the products of the farm the trucks
have performed in many instances a
very valuable service. In Chicago,
for instance while the railroads are
bringing in about the same quantities
Of milk as before the trucks were
employed it is a less percentage of all
the milk brought in. The trucks are
bringing in from the nearby farms,
but the demand has widened area Of
the milk producers and the railroads
can afford to bring in from the dis
tant points more cheaply than it may
be done by truck.
He comments on the efforts rail-
roads are making to supplement their
rail service by means Of the trucks
and believes these will harmonic the
relations between these two methods
Of transportation.
Mr.. Jardine goes farther and argues
that the trucks are not injuring the
roads. He asks: Are the roads get
ting better or worse?" A Yankee
may feel like asking whether he con-
siders the great expenditure being
put into these highways mere annual
maintenance? If they didn't get bet
ter under the work that is being done
by Federal and State governments
We might as well stop short of bank
ruptcy. Here, however, is a phase
of the matter meriting consideration
'there are now as many motor trucks
using these roads as there were Of
all kinds of motor vehicles ten years
ago, but the cost of the roads per
ton-mile of traffic is far less now
than it was then" One wonders if
he has taken all the factors Of depre-
citation into account. Also, he bal
ances increased use increased invest
ment; time will tell whether that i'm
creased use is to be really as prof.
table to the taxpayers as may now be
as may now be. -