The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 22, 1917, Page 15

ADVERTISEMENTS WHAT EVERY FARMER WANTS Cheap and Efficient Transporta- tion His Great Need—How It Can Best Be Assured HE present situation of the rairoads presents two alter- natives, efficient federal reg- ulation or federal ownership. The experience of other coun- tries proves conclusively that gov- ernment ownership of railroads is more costly and less efficient than the system of private ownership in this country. The railroads of the United States have the lowest freight rates, the smallest capital- ization per mile, the highest oper- " ating efflclency and pay the high- est wages of any railroads in the world. High Rates on Government Roads The charge for hauling a ton of freight one mile on the govern- ment owned roads of various coun- tries and on the privately owned roads of the United States is shown in the following table: - Average Freight rate per ton mile Germany (Gov't Rallways) 1.24 cent France 1.30 cent Australia New South Wales “ 1.59 cent South Australia % 1.75 cent Switzerland # 2.63 cent Canada (Private ownershlp) .76 cent United States .73 cent No railway system under gov- ernment ownership can :show a record for cheapness and service approaching that of American Railroads under private owner- ship. What the railroad situation needs is the adoption of a system of national regulation that will encourage initiative and invest- ment and enable the carriers to meet the growing requirements of .American business. Keep Railroads Out of Politics and Politics Out of the Railroads It is to the interest of the rail- roads and the interest of the whole country that the railroads keep out of politics and that polities be kept out of -their management. Government ownership under our political system would make the control of the railroads a partisan issue at every election. It would bring political and eco- nomic disaster. No man in the country stands to lose more by the adoption of a political system of railroad man- agement than the farmer. None .. will profit more from efficient na-- tional Tregulation that will do away with the present conflicts and waste of local control and ehable the railroads to make the extensions and improvements ne- cessary to keep pace with the business progress of the nation. We invite discussion of this question and shall be glad to answer questions and to supply information on request. Railway Executives’ Advisory Committee 61 Broadway FRANK TRUMBULL, Chairman FRANCIS H. SISSON, - Assistant ALFRED P. THOM, Counsel B. F, Bush, Receiver Mo. Pac. Ry. : A J Earling, Pres C.. M. & St, Ry. ~Howard Elliott, Ch. N, Y. N. H. &H . R. . J. Harahan, Pres. Seaboard Air Line Ry. Walker D, Hines, Ch, A, T. & Santa Fe Ry. Hale Holden, Pres. C. B. & Q. R. R. ¥. Loree, Pres. D. & H. Co. Lovett, Ch. Union Pacific R. R. H Markham, Pres. Il Cent, R. R. Samuel Rea, Pres. Penn. R.-R. A. H, Smith, Pres. N. Y. Central Lines. Frank Trumbull, Ch. C. & O. Ry. F D. Underwood, Pres. Erie H. Walters, Ch. Atlantic Coast Line R. R. Daniel Willard, Pres. B. & O. R. R. Mention Leader when writing advertisers é Owl" New York City Flght for Time i n ' South Dakota (Continued from page 9) senators for it, 26 against it and four not voting. Senator Alseth moved to strike out the preamble, which ex- plained the purpose of the resolution, and this carried, and the bill went to the house after the battle was over beheaded, and without carrying its own explanation. Several minor amendments were suggested, and the bill somewhat bat- tered, but still in the ring was passed, receiving the affirmative vote of all senators present, except Moore, South- wick and Stephens. Five senators were marked absent and not voting. This fight to mutilate or kill the only bill of the session bearing the indorge- ment of the Nonpartisan League, was witnessed by League representatives there in its behalf. When it got to the house, they got busy with the commit- tee, succeeded in getting it amended again, and upon refusal of the senate to concur in the house amendments, a conference was asked for, and the pro- posed constitutional amendment was finally worked out into its present form, which is as follows: “For the purpose of developing the resources and improving the econom- ic facilities of South Dakota, the state may engage in works of internal fmprovement, may own and conduct proper business enterprises, may loan or give its credit to, or in aid of, any association, or corporation, and may become the owner of the capital stock of corporations, organized for such purposes. But any such association or corporation shall be subject to regu- lation of the state as may be provided by law. “No money of the state shall be ap- propriated or indebtedness incurred for any of the purpose of this section, ex- cept by the vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch of the legis- lature. The state may also assume or pay any debt. or liability incurred in time of war for the defense of the state. “The state or any county, or two or. more counties jointly, may. establish and maintain a system of rural credits and thereby loan money and extend credit to the people of the state upon real estate security in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by general law. “The limit of indebtedness contained in section 2 of this article shall not apply to the provisions of this section. But no indebtedness shall be incurred under the provisions of this section, except for rural credits, in excess of one-half of one per cent of the assess- ed valuation of the property of the state.” After the session was over attempts by interested newspaper men were made, to convey the impression- that the Nonpartisan League had approved of numerous other bills passed, and publication -to the effect that League representatives had so expressed them- selves, were sent out, but these were misleading. The Leaguie made no at- tempt to get any other act through, and had no representatives watching legislation until the last few days when Senate . Joint Resolution No. 16, just quoted in full, was introduced. If the people of South Dakota be- come thoroughly enough organized, and vote as solidly for their candidates as the people of North Dakota did in 1916, and if they do not lose track of this amendment in the host of amend- ments that will come before them in 1918 for approval or rejection, they will ‘be able two years from now to begin to put the Nonpartisan League pro- gram into eflec_t in- South Dakota. AS CANADA DOES IT—BETTER (Editorial in Winnipeg Telegram) Last fall everything indicated a shortage of seed grain of proper qual- ity. The danger was accentuated by buyers from across the line who were purchasing, at high prices, every avail- able bushel. But the Dominion authori- ties, realizing the situation, promptly appointed & commission which has now been operating for several months. As a result of this effort, the govern- ment elevators have on hand a suffi- cient supply, which will be 'sold to farmers on fair terms. Had- the matter been left to regulate itself under ordinary commercial con- ditions, individual farmers or company- ‘owned elevators would have looked only to their own immediate profit. The good seed wheat would have been carried .away and the West would have been forced to content itself to a large extent with planting inferior grades. The prairie provinces will therefore: be gainers by millions of dollars be- cause the government acted wisely and had at hand the storage capacity re- quired. FIFTEEN ADVERTISEMENTS Courier-News Carried the Fight Right to Washington HE Courier-News told the whole truth about the Federal Grain Grading Hearings at Fargo and Minneapolis. The Courier-News re- ports were reprinted in the Congress- ional Record. So was the Courier- News editorial about the hearings. All the congressmen saw it. The North Dakota congressmen were stirred up. Rehearings were held. Concessions in favor of the Northwest farmers are al- most certain. The Courier-News will always fight for the real interests of the Northwest. You ought to be-reading it. It is the nonpartisan daily—truth- ful news, all the sports, all the markets. = 1Tt is Your Newspaper Subscribe to it The Courler-News isnow pubhsh- ed on Monday mornmg You can subscribe to it for six days a week (the old way), or seven days a week (the new way), whichever you please. Here are the rates both ways. . Take your choice, but subscribe one way now. Six days a week .(Every day except Monday) Two months....$1.00 . Bix months .... 2.25 Twelve months. . -4.40 Seven Days a Week (Every day including Monday) Two months ...$1.20 Bix months .... 2.75 Twelve months . 5.00 The Courier-News F‘a;go. North Dakota ey A e