The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-01-04

states The result OF this has been to
make it improbable to develop the
manufacturing reso1rces of our state. /
Manufactured articles of all kinds made i
in the far eastern states are
shipped into our state and sold |
here at less cost than these articles
can be manufactured auy8here IN the |
state, and for the simple reason that |
our railroads are constantly discrimin- |
ating against cur home manufactures,
and exacting excessive local rates. I'M
der the fallacious plea that long haul
IS more profitable than a short one, even
when a greater rate is charged for a
short haul, and the empty ear is again
ready tor the eompany's use, ard the
cost OF loading and unloading the car is
the same in both instances. The effect
of this has been to paralyZe and stop
the manufacturing industries of the
state
Furthermore, railroads are CONSTANT
ly discriminating against our wholesale
merchants In favor of the same class IN
other states; and not content with this
| they are discriminating against the
purchasing interests of the retail deal
ers, and against the whole agricnl-
tural, mercantile and commercial in
terests ofthe state. The agricultural IN
interests of the state, by that form of in
Justice known as pooling" by which
excessive rates are charged and CON- Pc
tiIion prevented, are so seriously crlp-
pied that in the western half of the
state it is impossible under the present
1 system of railroad management, even
with the best of crops, to make agrieul-
Il ture profitable, andf.the Woodworking
/ farmer, whose only dependence, is his
Il avon ic nv fha aYOrhifo af fA of frai0ht
placed in condition of helpless sub
mission and dependence so that the fer
tility of his soil Is of no especial advan-
taRe to him, and the products of his la
Dor do not yield him their proper re
turns. IF this wrong is not speedily
corrected the time will come when agri-
4 culture in the western half of the state
will of necessity be abandoned, and the
!, state suffer loss of millions of dollars
} in consequence.
The dire effects of this system of dis
termination is also seen in checking the
growth and prosperity of all the towns,
villages and cities OF the state. These
towns are thus injured, their business
crippled, their industries embarrassed,
their developments rendered expensive
and difficult, the price of all commodi-
ties unduly enhanced; and all this is
endured while towns and cities IN ad
Iioining states are being rapidly built
lup at our expense. And not only is the
state thus crippled in its agricultural,
Its manufacturing interests, and in all
3 its commerce, but it is hampered to such
7 an extent that its growth and prosperis
: ty may be thing of slow and uncertain
/, stages, and it should be relieved OF
f these burdens so that it may continue
- he fOVoETanef efafa0 nj
: our nation, and that the business and
? prosperity of our cities and towns may
= increase: that manufacturing estab-
lishments may be possible and lucra-
2 tive; that our agricultural interests
: may be as profitable as the fertility Of
soil, the salubrity of our climate
8 and the industry of our citizens de-
J, serve.
: In addition to these oppressive dis
: ordinations against localities and in
s dlviduals, these corporations have fol
Y ten years persistently deied thu Law
= IN refusing to comply with the enact
= ment requiring them to establish anC
u keep their general offices within tht
;, Estate, but have moved them beyond
;, our limits, and now even deny anC
), defy the jurisdiction of our courts, thu
o violating the will of the people in thi
l. regard. And perhaps one of the wors
}, features of this vexed railway problem
10 is the constant tendency on the part o
railroad managers to manipulate th
Is politics of the state; to seek not onl!
If to control convention to make plat
10 forms, to nominate and elect candi
II dates. but also to improperly influence
It legislation by subsIdiZing and estab
If fishing newspapers, and by employing
is paid lobbyists to defeat proper leRisla
J. ton so that corporate greed may still
le override and Cypress the people. 1t
o a notorious fact that it is charged b,
Is the public journals, and beiieYet, tina
n the railroads of the state haye uset
le money lavishly to corrupt voters, AM
10 have tried by coercion, by threats, ant
5. by all appliances at their command L
& force their employees to vote agains
< their will, and for men and partle
ID known to be pledged and committed t.
ID the railroad interest. and upon thei
z refusal to do so they have been dis
n charged from their employ. The pub
Is lie is aware that in the state
= of Minnesota and Iowa Sc
d rious complication, growing out of al
n attempt to control and apportion tn
lie territory to a particular railroad, ha
D. just been adjusted between the partie
Of to such a compact. Two similar tran
le sactions have occurred in thi
l. state, within the past ninet
5. days. BY this method O
lie apportioning territory to particula
J. railroad, the building of new roads
lie even when they are needed as matte
n of self defense, either by competing
ID lines or by the public is entirely pre-
lie vented, or made exceedingly difficult
le so that the remote towns and cities an
al agricultural districts are deprived O
s. railroad facilities, obtainable but 70
Sc such combinations made TO render com
Of petition impossible. and the business O
lr such unfortunate districts thereb'
y made improbable.
l call your attention to the recentl'
= published statement of the earnings o
Is one of the leading railroads of the state
e which published statement has no
10 been denied, so far as am aware. Tn
+ earnings of this road for the fiscal yea
2 ending Nov. LIST. 1882 is, as given Ii
e round numbers $14, 800, 10000, with ne
n earning of over 100000 Allowing
It this railroad to represent one-third o
n the entire mileage OF the state, (which
e it does mott on the same basis OF earn
10 ing, the entire mileage of the stat
10 967 miles, would be over $4,000,
If 100000, and upon the same basis o
J. profit earned by the road referred to