REPORT OF IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION 375 



bear tribute to the worth and value of their assistance, and we in turn 

 have tried to be of assistance to them. 



We have had in our work two particular ends in view. In the first place 

 we want adequate service. We believe that the farmer is entitled to ship 

 his products at the time the market is satisfactory to him. Possibly the 

 car shortage which we all experienced this past fall has forced upon us 

 orderly marketing before we expected to get it. Our car shortage has not 

 been entirely an unmixed evil. But the proper way to get orderly mar- 

 keting is not to have a pair of steel bands put around our wrists. We 

 want to get it in an orderly way. 



In the next place, with our idea of adequate service, any step which 

 might lead to a reduction in what service we have at present would do 

 more damage than good. Accordingly we have worked along the lines 

 of preserving to you all the benefits of transportation which are the 

 result of private initiative, and of keeping the service which we have at 

 present and improving it if possible and making for more reasonable 

 prices. Like any other good organization we have set up for ourselves 

 certain very definite projects which we have tried to accomplish. 



Iowa Figures Serve Good Purpose 



You all know what happened generally with regard to rates. I want to 

 go back to 1921 and show you how this thing has developed, slowly and 

 gradually but decidedly for the benefit of the farmer. When we began 

 our work we found pending before the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 a complaint that the rates on livestock were such that the farmer could 

 not continue to produce if those rates continued in effect. It seemed 

 better for us to co-operate than to go off on some other kind of scheme 

 in working out this problem. 



We presented our case and got a decision that the rate on livestock 

 over 100 pounds should be reduced 20 per cent, and that no rate so re- 

 duced should be less than 50 cents. It didn't look like much on the face 

 of it, but it amounted in the aggregate to $7,000,000 a year. The impor- 

 tant thing, however, was not the $7,000,000. While economic conditions 

 were not the dominating factors they at least represented one factor that 

 must be considered in the procuring of reasonable rates in the trans- 

 portation of goods. The very day that principle was announced the 

 Farm Bureau and the state commissions were in Washington trying the 

 western grain and hay case. We fought that case to a finish and the 

 decision saved the farmers of the West $38,000,000. 



The testimony which the Iowa Farm Bureau presented through Mr. 

 Cunningham and Professor Nourse was one of the most valuable bits of 

 evidence that we had. Our success in that case showed us that with, 

 accurate figures and definite knowledge it is possible to secure results. 

 When we go before the carriers, or before the commissions, with noth- 

 ing but opinions it is a waste of time and we might just as well have 

 stayed at home. The work that we have been doing in digging out these 

 facts is essential, and I am glad that you are planning to continue this 

 work. 



