Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-13
A CHANGE OF POLICY.

1t can readily be seen that since the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. A. E. Touzalin to the pc.
sition Of vice president Of the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe road, that new leaf IL
to be turned over by that company; and 1t
can now be said, with considerable degree
Of certainty, that the new management will
be more popular with the people and less
popular with the politicians.
For the last four or five years the Kansas
managers Of this line have paid as much at
tention TO politics as they have to railroad
ing, which has resulted largely in bringing
about the present unhappy state of affairs
in our State. Mr.. Touxalin is not po,iti-
clan in any sense Of the word, and we have
it rather direct that he will not under any
circumstances, allow the power OF his road
to be used to pull down or build up any one.
fhe local politician who claims to have s'In.
tluence in bis district can no longer get
pass on this road on account OF such infiu-
enee; congressman, senators and governors
can no longer ride in special cars or on spe-
cial trains, unless they pay for the privilege.
Delegates to political conventions will
doubtless be required to pay their fares,
while everything goes to show that the class
of people who are abundantly able to pay
will be required to do SO and that the aver
age citizen will thus be benefited. Al
though we have but a slight acquaintance
with Mr.. Touzalin, not having met him but
once, we believe he fully realizes the situa-
ton in the State aud we believe 1t is his
| frto 20 ho ra;r Dzn,
we take the liberty to point out what we
think is the true policy for his road to pur-
sue:
First-Get out of politics quickly and
stay out.
Second-Treat all patrons of the road
alike, allowing no class privileges.
Third-Give the patrons Of the road re.
duction of tariffs on fuel and lumber.
1t might be argued that we should have
lower rates on stock and grain, but such a
demand cannot well be made. Whatever
may be said concerning the first two items,
any man who will take the trouble to inves-
tigate viii soon discover that the present
rates for stock and grain are as low as the
local tariffs in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana,
and as ii is true, We have no reason to com
plain.
III Mr.. Touzalin will do these things the
people will not only be reasonably satisfied,
but will be slow to support any movement
looking 10 a ruinous war between the cor
porations and the State.
Kansas people would like to see several
thousand more miles of railroad built in the
State during the next ten years. 1t will
take seyenty-fi miles OF new lines to meet
the requirements OF the people in our own
county. and while we are not willing TO give
the builders all the profits to be derived in
constructing these lines, we are ready TO
dirfde. While our people are using their
muscle and money to develop their farms
and build up towns we want the eastern
money to build us more railroads. If we
had the money we might construct our own
lines, but as we are a little short, just now.
we can't 60 so far as to rule out those who
have. If Mr.. Touzalin carries out the COM
nonsense course that he seems to have de-
cided upon, and if the board of commits
sioners will continue to follow the common
sense course started on a week or two ago,
the people will not only get material reduc-
tions in freights but the railroad people will
fee! disposed to go ahead and complete our
railroad system, two things devoutly de-
sired.-EiDordd0 Republican.