THE FARMER AND THE RAILROAD
rates too low, taxes too high, wages too high, service too elaborate, and there are not cents enough in the dollar to meet all these obligations and still permit the business to be attractive enough so the man with the dollar will invest it.
Our American railroads have done good work, and can do own better, and it is to the farmer's own selfish interest to see that they are so treated that they will be ready at all times to handle his business. To be ready requires constant expenditure.
| American railroads are capitalized at | $ 60,000 per mile |
| British railroads are capitalized at | 275,000 per mile |
| French railroads are capitalized at | 141,000 per mile |
| German railroads are capitalized at | 112,000 per mile |
| Austrian railroads are capitalized at | 115,000 per mile |
| Average pay of American railway employees is | $668 per year |
| Average pay of British railway employees is | 251 per year |
| Average pay of French railway employees is | 260 per year |
| Average pay of German railway employees is | 382 per year |
| Average pay of Austrian railway employees is | 260 per year |
| Average charge for hauling a ton of freight 100 miles | |
| United States | $0.75 |
| England | 2.80 |
| France | 2.20 |
| Germany | 1.64 |
| Austria | 2.30 |
In the United States the railroads haul each year 2500 tons of freight one mile for every
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