The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-04-20
McNary-Haugen Bill Holds
Attention of Northwest Farmers

railroads anu VIC 1i.SISlate Commerce !
Commission have laid an undue share
of the burden of general transnorta-
ton costs on the basic product of
grain"
Private VS.. Public Ownership the Issue
The Kansas senator went on tn
show that there was wide difference
in rates on grain in Canada and the
United States. He showed that for
example, the Canadian farmer can
shin his wheat 1,728 miles from, Re-
gina, Sask, to the port of Quebec for
% cents a bushel. The Kansas farmer
for a shorter haul of 1000 miles IN
Baltimore, pays 80 cents and the Ne
braska grower who ships less than
1900 miles to New Orleans for export
is charged 1874 cents per busheI
Of course Senator Capper did not
say that the difference in freight rates
in Canada and in the U. S. was dine
to the difference in ownership of the
railroads in the two countries Can
per couldn't afford to make that kind
of a statement inasmuch as his No If
ical party is too closely tied up with
the gentlemen who own and control
the railroads of this country
Magnus Cited Facts in 1924
But Magnus Johnson, while a mem
Der of the United States Senate. did
state these facts. In a speech deliv-
cred in the senate on June 4. 1924. the
Minnesota farmer-labor senator said:
eve are paying the price in the
United States for private ownership
of railroads. Under iris system of
railroad ov-rcr>hp 1rcisLt rates have
had to be J02Sted to M>JlL income on
grossly inflated Capita 'ization until
VIC Tr' lCW paying ntYe than the
tlaffM will bear.
Magnus quoted figures 20 show the
difference in rates on grain from
points in Canada to Lake Superior and
from points in the U. S. to Lake Su-
: periOr. He showed that il cost 25 3
cent :NY Oushel to ship wheat FROM
Cree alls, Mont, to Du4utn. Ills,
tanct of 1857 miles while it cost IA
cents per bushel to ship wheat FROM
Medicine Hat, Alberta, to Fort Will
lam on Lake Superior, & distance d
1,076 miles.
: Railroads Force Barge Line Issue
, Those who are fiynlilg for barge
line development on the Mississipp
are of course interested in lowe
: freight rates. The same is, of course
equally true with those who advocat,
the development of the Great Lakes
: 81. Lawrence waterway.
Even the reactionary Twin CITY bus
ines men who are now boosting barg
line improvement are in favor of con
: tInued government operation of tn
oarges. 1t appears to have entere
the minds of these rather unsophisti
GATED gentlemen, too, that to turn In
!, Darges over to private interests RICH
a away might have the effect of de
= StroIylng the value of the barges en-
E tlrely. Perhaps some of these gentle
men have prOfited by Minnesota's ez
pePience with the bus legislation q
= 1870 winch IN measure crippled bu
. service and increased rates. In sho1
the buses became the property of til
: railroads. 1t is reasonable to conclud
{ That private ownership of the barge
would mean railroad ownership.
The railroad companies fear the o
n feet of barge competition with oover,
ment ownership and operation of tt
Darges: Their representatives al
: now at Washington lobbying for IL
Denison bill with elf enacted into la
VIII enable the president to turn Il
} Darges over to private interests ;
;, the most opportnne time. In this col
u nectlon 1T is worth noting that II
II railroads are not much concerned ov,
9 barge competition, but they are d
!e cidedly concerned over governme,
u ownership and operation of the bar,
lie es.
3 Farmer-LabOr Party Has Real Issu
L Just how much can be saved to Il
: shippers of the northwest by develo
5. ment of river transportation is as v
Il uncertain. That much can be saw,
is certain. That it will run into M
II lions of dollars annually cannot be d
! MED. AT meeting of the northel
/ division of the Mississippi Valley A
y ISOLATION in st. Paul in October, 49,
5 Mr.. Lahclan Macleay, secretary of Il
i association, stated that the cover
II ment~owned barge system operatil
le between New Orleans and st. Lou
u had affected saving of S1.65 per t.
4 or total of $1,723, 670.85 during t
year 1926. In addition to this t
"a government corporation had "set ash
~ NJ for depreciation $3.50, 1859 and sho-
p. p. ed in addition to all this a return
ne $519,411.57 in profits.
~ Farm relief, public development a
~ operation of river transportation, pu
~ lie ownership of water power, are
sues on which to make appeal f
u votes this year. The voters are in
ne fine mood to listen to the Farmer-I
r r. Dor message.