Freight Rates on Farm Products - Statement by the Western Railways Committee on Public Relations

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Aria

Freight Rates on Farm Products presents a 1925 statement addressing proposals to readjust Western railway freight rates, specifically emphasizing reductions on farm products. It argues that agriculture is a core industry and that rate changes must be fair and reasonable to maintain prosperous conditions. The statement highlights the heavy reliance of Western lines on farm shipments, the risk of unreasonably low rates, and the potential harm to transportation service and farmer earnings, supported by references to prior regulatory decisions and freight car capacity during 1924 grain shipping.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Original Material as Filmed-Existing Bibliographic Record

Technical Microform Data

Freight Rates on Farm Products

Effect on Western Lines

Return in 1924 Only 3.87 Per Cent

Farm Products Nearly One-Half

97-84074-2 Freight rates on farmproducts[Chicago,Ⅲ.?] 1925 # COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ## ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD n w308ZWestern railways'comnitt.ee on public relations·Boz 258Freight rates on farm produots;statement by theWestein railways'coruittee on public relationg.C.H.Liarkham L.W.Baldwin. Ralph Buddgnd othor81 1925.11 p.20 cm.68875UNLY E RESTRICTIONS ON USE: Reproductions may not be made without permission trom Columbia University ubraries. ## TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 5mREDUCTION RATIO: 9:1IMAGE PLACEMENT:IA( A)IB IIB DATE FILMED: 5-6-97INITIALS: 1 TBACKING\#: 23995 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. | FREICHT R ATESON
FARM PRODUCTS
STATEMENT BY THE
WESTERN RAILWAYS COMMITYTEE
ON PUBLIC RELATIONS
C H.MARKHAM
Pregident.fuinols Centrl Rallroa
L w.BALDWIN
President.Miasouri Paeife Rallrond
RALPH BUDD.
Presldent,Great Nortbern Rallway
1L.E.BYRAM
Presldent,Chicago,Milwaukee &8t.Paul Ialway
8.M.FELTON.
Presldent,Chieago Great Western Rallroad
W.H.FINLEY
Presldent,Chlcago &North Western Railway
J.E.GORMAN.
Presldent,Chicngo,Rock Island&Pacife Railway
CABL.R.GRAY.
Presldent.Unlon Paeile 8ystem
HALE HOLDEN
Preeldent,Chlcago,Burlington&Quiney Rallroad
C.E.SCHAFF,
Presldent.Miasourl-Kansn9-Texns Ra[lroad
JANUARY.1925
Bx58
已
308 | | --- | Bunugigge FREIGHT RATES ON FARM PRODUCTS MUCH consideration is properly being given tothe problem of improving the condition of agri-culture.Agriculture is the principal basic in-dustry of the country.Every fair and reasonable meansshould be adopted to make and keep it prosperous.Butonly fair means and means adapted to the end in viewshould be adopted. Effect on Western Lines Among the means that have most frequently beensuggested is a general readjustment of railway freightrates that would involve a reduction of the rates onfarm products.The western railways are especiallyand vitally interested in this proposal because a rela-tively large part of their freight business consists ofproducts of the farms.In eastern territory about 7per cent and in southern territory about 92 per cent ofthe tonnage of the railways consists of farm products,while in western territory 21 per cent of the tonnageconsists of farm products. These are facts which concern western farmers noless than western railways.Because so relatively largea part of the freight business of western railways con-sists of farm products,it is of greater importance to thefarmers of western territory than to the farmers in anyother part of the country that rates upon farm productsshould not be made unreasonably low. The Interstate Commerce Commission in its decisionin the western grain rate case last July specifically held that the western roads had not been and were not earn-ing a fair return,and it added:“Any further reductionin revenue would increase the shortage in the fair re-turn of the carriers in the western group.” We especially call attention to the effect upon thetransportation service the western railways could renderthe farmers that would be produced by changes in ratesthat would unduly reduce the earnings of the railwaysthat serve them.Because of the recent advances inprices the farmers desired in the late summer and fallmonths of 1924 to ship their grain in wholly unprece-dented volume.A serious“car shortage”would havecaused the farmers losses of many millions of dollars.Fortunately the railways within the two preceding yearshad made such large expenditures for new locomotives,freight cars and other improvements that,with the co-operation of the Shipper'

FAQs

What issue does the statement focus on?

It focuses on proposals to readjust railway freight rates, especially reductions affecting farm products shipped by Western lines.

Why are Western railways described as particularly concerned?

Because a relatively large share of their freight business consists of products from farms, making the railways and western farmers tightly connected.

What consequences does the statement warn about if rates are reduced too much?

It warns that unduly low rate reductions could prevent railways from earning a fair return, impair future investment, and reduce the transportation service farmers depend on.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Aria