Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-10-30
Record OF Governor Click on the Rairoa,
Question

Record OF Governor Click on the Railroad
Question.
Governor Click and his friends claim
much credit for the passage Of the pres
ent Railroad Commissioner act, although
the Legislature that passed the law was
three-fOurths Republican. He also
claims much credit for the reduction of
rates by the Commissioners, although
two of the three Commissioners are Re
politicians. Let US 90 back q short time
and read the official record Of George w.
Click, when he was in a position where
he could actually befriend the people.
In the Legislative session of 1879 he
was a member Of the House from AtCh-
isOn county, and chairman of the Com
mittee on Railroads-one of the most
important committees in the House.
Many bills were presented on what is
known as the Railroad question" All
these bills went IN due course to the
Committee on railroads, Of which Gov.
Click was chairman. In due course of
time Gov. Click, as chairman, submitted
the report which is given below, and
which viii be found on pages 1924 of
the Journal Of the House. This Jour
nal can be found In the hands of ex-
members of the Legislature, or with the
Secretary Of State, by which the report
given below can be verified.
The readers attention is particularly
called TO the hippant extract from the
st. Louis Democrat, which is made
part of the report.
"AIr. Click, chairman of the Commit
tee on Railroads, submitted the follow
ing report:
"AIr. Speakers: Your Committee on
Railroads, to whom was referred House
bills No. 81, An act relating to railroads,
freight and passengers in this State, pre-
scribing the punishment for violation of
It's provisions, and providing
for the appointment for the
proper regulation of railroads
and for the appointment Of Railroad
Commissioners; and No. S4l, AN act to
provide for the establishment Of a Board
of Railroad Commissioners, have had
the same under consideration, and in
struCt me to report the bills back to the
House with the recommendation that
they be rejected. The committee desire
to state to the House some of the rea-
sons which have Influenced them in
coming to their decision upon these
bills.
"Such a Board as is proposed by these
bills would be of little practical utility,
unless the State should assume the man
agemenb OF It's railways TO the extent Of
regulating their rates for the transporta-
ton of passengers and freight.
The experience of States which have
assumed such management, as gathered
by the committee, has not been Of a char
aCter to justify Kansas, in view of the
comparatively feeble condition of its rail
way companies, and the already oppres-
sive burden Of taxation, to make a like
experiment.
1.-THE proposition to fix arbitrary rates
for the movement of the products Of the
States. the committee are entirely salts
fed is impracticable; and at those pOr-
tiOns of the State distant from Compel
ing points, or from the Missouri river, 1t
would practically amount to an embargo
upon any shipments of the products Of
the soil. 1t must be borne in mind that
the great markets which control the
prices of the productions of our State,
areafar outside its limits, and upon the
Atlantic seabOard. All freight rates on
cattle and cereals are fixed, not from the
west eastWardly, but from New York,
Boston, or some other eastern city,
lgestlDGrdgy; and they are beyond the
control, not Of the people of Kansas, but
of our railways as well.
sThe railroad companies are quite IS
anxious 70 secure the wheat. corn and