Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-10-30

cattle OF tne State for shipments as are
the people TO ship them. This is evident
from one or two reasons. First, their
own interest prompts them In that d.
recLloh- Second. the rates already ex-
Istlng snow lt. For instance. Corn is I
carried IRON st. Louis to New York for
mtg cents per hundred pounds. The
rate rom Kansas City and Topeka 10
New 4oFA Is the same as from St. Louis;
ana because the lines of railway running
TO the East, desire to secure our large
wheat ana corn product, they give to the
railways running westward from ST.
LOUIS (WHICH however, yields little more
IMAM mere running eXpenses,) in order
that tney may bring back such articles
OF necessary use and consumption as our
people require. A pro rata or fired rate
would put such tax upon the transpOr-
tatIon OF the corn of Kansas, as to render
It almost Valueless. Under existing
rates. corn and wheat, 100 miles distant
from our eastern border, bears about the
same rate Of freight as that which is not
more than ten miles distant. Under any
/ proposition submitted to the committee,
while the rates from points near the
market would not differ materially from
those charged now, at those more remote
/ they would be so far advanced as to
practically prevent shipment, and thus
the products of the remOter portions of
the State would be Of little or no value.
Your Committee have taken more time
to examine into the subject matter of
these bills, perhaps, than was justi6able
under ordinary circumstances, but the
/ importance of the matters and interests
involved required a full and fair exami-
nation, and we have discharged our du-
/ ties as soon as possible, consistent with
our duties in the House.
From the arguments herein submit
/ ted, and our examinations, we think the
following conclusions correct
%. That any attempt to fix by law ar
/ bitrary rates for the transpOrtatiOns of
/ freight, would result in no appreciable
good, and only injury to the CONNIE rcial
and business interests Of the State.
90. The fixing Of arbitrary rates, and
/ their enforcement by law, would in eff
! feet be to prevent the removal of the
| wheat, corn and cattle of Kansas to the
markets In the East-the freight rates
increasing by distance from the Missouri
river and the eastern border fthe State,
so as to greatly increase the costs of
transportation above what our products
can pay. But under rates as now charg-
ed, and enforced by business rules, and
the laws of trade and COM
merce, those points distant from the
Missouri river and the eastern border of
the State have an equal chance to secure
nearly the same prices for their products
as those within ten to twenty miles of
the eastern points.
"a. The effect Of the proposed leglsla-
ton would be such that it would greatly
cripple and embarrass the railroads now
operating in the State, and defeat the
building Of new and needed lines that
are so necessary in the newer portions
of the State, where the demand for them
/ is so great, and their building almost an
absolute necessity.
Wherefore, your Committee are unan-
imCusly of the opinion that the fOregO-
ing billsare unWise in their provisions
and if enacted into laws, would be detri-
mental to the interests of the people Of
the State. @. w. CLICK, Chairman"
"The following article IS also submit
, ted with the report Of the committee
{ showing the effect Of PrO-ratG railroad
. lawn iowa:
Correspondence of the st. Louis Globe-D Democrat
, Dies MONIES, February Is.
. "'A few years ago-nOt more than
: four or five-there was in this State g
lively business in railroad building. The
State was prosperous, no public debt
and the people were intelligent, indus
> triOus and enterprising. In fact, lows
was just such a State as the foreign cap
italist was willing to loan or invest
money with. Railroads were demanded
l in various sections, and the means were
ready to build them. The Northwestern
; and Northern parts of the State were
/ fairly on the road to prosperity. Just al
that iuncture somebody in the eastern
l part of the State raised the cry that the
l railroads We're getting control Of the
State and sapping the very life Of the
p
The farmer caught the echo and straight
way joined the Changers, that he might
sit in the. sanctuary of their seCresy; the
country politician, catching the OdOr Of
2 official pap afar OF, Joined IN the hue-and-
2 cry and made the village bar-rOOm
school house and street corner ring with
eXtOrtiOn and plundering OF the people
by these sOulless corporations. Pap seek
ers and Office hunters spTinkIed hay seed
! in their hair, went through the barn
yard, Joined the grand army of Patrons
and went up and down Cursing the rail
road monopoly. From one end Of the
. the State and country to the
! other the cry was kept up until
the people were wild upon the subject
The Republican party Of Iowa caught
! the infection and wheeled into the line
of regulators. The Democracy Joined III
the chase, and, to catch the popular ear
I discarded its Old-time name and assun
/ ed that of Anti Monopoly. The Granger
ruled the hour. The skeleton in the
corn-crib' haunted the people, politicians
{ and legislators. Illinois legislated its
railroads into the hands of receivers
r Wisconsin legislated her railroads tc
4 ruin, and so debased her credit that she
2 could not borrow a dollar; MinnesOta
well-nigh shared a like fate; Iowa sem
/ up her sidewalk farmers, her hayseeC
politicians and anti-mOnOps to regulate
, the railroads, and demonstrate tt
: corporations that the people rule. Con
I gressiOnal candidates and artful dOdg
? ers captured the Flooding, slow
-