The Bismarck tribune., 1925-06-15
ROADS NEED
RATE BOOST.
ALFRED SAYS
Railroad President Declares
Tariffs in Northwest
Must BE Raised

Together with the announcement
that the railroads in the northwest
are seeking higher rates comes the
statement from Frank II. Alfred of
Detroit, president and general man
ager of the Pere Marquette railway,
VINO declares that the railroads serv-
ing the northwest states are in
drastic need of higher freight rates
their tariffs, and, consequently, their
financial situations comparing un-
riers.
Mr.. Alfred was discussing trans
portation as the essential link and
celebration Of Pere Marquette day OF
the Traffic club Of Minneapolis.
Need Higher Rates
81 am satisfied that northwest rail
roads are in need Of revision upward
in their freight rate structures" Mr.
Alfred said. ut is unfortunate that
roads serving Minnesota and hel
neighboring states should be linked
with the western and Southwestern
groups, which are making splendid
financial showings. The groups in
the northwest territory need special
treatment in the matter of rates
since their tariffs have been in
creasing less, in the past five years
than those OF any other district.
understand that rates on the Mil
waukee road, for example, are gen
orally lower than those on the Pere
Marquette. This seems obviously
unjust"
In his address on "The Essential
Link" Mr.. Alfred devoted much time
to discussion Of the proposed Great
Lakes to Tidewater waterway. He
assailed the project as economically
unsound and declared that it's back
ers are trying to stampede the
country" He explained that Great
Lakes navigation is open only seven
months of the year and asserted that
it would be unfair for the govern
ment to spend millions on a devel-
opment which would reduce the in
comes of railroads in summer but
would throw the burden of moving
all freight of the northwest and
midwest in winter.
Would Affect Railways
at would mean either increasing
the year-round rates of the roads OF
practically running them," Mr.. AL
red said. 1--WE have seen nothing
to indicate that the deep-sea channel
will create new industries in the
district to be served by the canal.
1t is argued that it will cheaper the
cost and quicken the time of trans
portation Of existing business, now
delivered to Atlantic ports by rail.
OF course, if this claim proved to be
well-founded and the new route
cheaper and quicker, it would be
natural to expect that new foreign
trade would be created but this is
problematlcal.
"The water route from the head
of Lake Superior to the mouth of
the st. Lawrence is about 46 per cent
longer than the rail route. Switch
ing charges at terminals constitute
about one-third of total cost of NOV
ing rail freight The cost of the
proposed waterway, has been under
estimated greatly. The figure of
$750,000 600 is too low and private
concerns have estimated that that
sum would be needed to improve the
channel merely to Montreal.
From the viewpoint of loyalty to
our own people, what would it mean
to open up our inland waterways to
world navigation by ships owned
and manned by foreigners, whose
crews work for half as much as
American sailors on the Great
Lakes ?"
The waterway project would be in
opposition to the economy program
OF President Coolidge, in the opin-
ion of Mr.. Alfred. The nation can
not hope OF cast off its yoke of tax
alton, if the government debt con-