The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-02-13

cured by securing the maximum poesibfaty
Of transportation itsolf, rather than IT,
highest possible rate therefor nh VOL
upon any commodity IL too high it dimin-
ishes. rather than increases. the amount 20
be transported, therefore IL b fair TO Pre-.
freight prevents lie being moved without
profit TO the shipper. that rate u too hfen
and should be reduced-not only for the ROOD
Of the shipper, but for the benefit, also, o.
Transport alton companies long ago learned
that they could charge . much higher rata
fer the transportation OF certain kinas %
that upon cartain other kinds OF equal weight
and bulk. and possibly of equal value. Tnis
leads to the system Of classification which
10 now universally adopted W all transporta-
ton companies, and which ie 80 little under
stood By the general public, and II IL not sur
prising that so many people persistently com
they are ignorant of the fact that It is tho
only system that can be adopted that Will en-
able our heavy and less expensive articles to
be transported at rates which the people can
The actual cost of hauling an empty train
is almost rs much as the cost OF moving .
loaded one; therefore, when the train must
fireman, conductor and brakeman, 1t be-
comes q matter of great Importance to the
company to secure as much paying freight
as possible to be hauled upon that train.
Excessive rates can not secure it, and 1t is to
be regretted that many trafic managers are
often too slow in comprehending this very
important fact.
mine whether or not the present rates upon
grain In our States are to high:
England Is the consumer OF our surplus
wheat. The value of it in that market is de-
termined by the reported surplus, not only
in this country, but in the world, and this
surplus is estimated from time to time as the
crop is being grown. So accurate is this esti-
.afc hot dnol nrcr
throughout the world, know almost to GER
tainty the amount of surplus in the country
long before it is harvested. cannot believe,
therefore, that a reduction in freight rates
would permanently reduce the value in that
market.
The price in New York is determined by
the price in Europe liverpool being the con-
trolling market, less the cost of transpor-
tation, insurance, etc., from New York to
Liverpool. The price in Chicago is de-
termined by the price in New York less the
cost of transportation, insurance, etc, from
Chicago to New York. The price in Kansas
City, or other Missouri River points, is de-
termined by the price in Chicago, less the
cost ct pre
at any point In Kansas is determined by the
price at the Missouri River, less the cost Of
transportation, insurance, etc., to the Mis-
souri, River.
The producer of wheat in New York State
can better afford to pay higher rate for the
transportation of his wheat one hundred or
two hundred miles than the producer M kan
reason that the Kansas producer not only
pays for a haul equal in distance to the haul
paid by the New York producer, but In addi.
ton must pay the rate from the missouri
River to New York.
1t is true that farms In New York State are
much more valuable than farms In Kansas,
but the owner of Kansas farms must pay
goods and the agricultural implements with
which to cultivate his farm than does the
more Eastern farmer. There Is no corpora.
ton, individual or local interest that should
in any sense be protected at the expense of
the whole people, but the general prosperity
of our State depends almost wholly upon
our cereals, because this is an agricultural
State.
The merchant, the manufacturer, the
banker, the mechanic, the common laborer,
as well as the common carrier, all depend to
ests; to protect this interest. therefore, is
not to injure any, but promotes all others In
our State, and no single interest is so mnch
oenetea thereby Is sdat OF .rsh ,b
pal products of our State; other grain te not
raised in sufficient quantity to require special
attention at this time. The surplus wheat
must be shipped to foreign markets in order
to realize upon 1t. Corn can be fed to stock,
therefore the necessity for low rates for that
cereal does not exist, while it does exist in
regard to wheat.
1t has been quite clearly demonstrated and
is generally understood that when q car is
once loaded with freight, the additional cost
of moving II two hundred miles is very little
more than moving ii one hundred miles. We
find that the rates upon wheat generally
prevailing in this State for the first one hun
dred miles west of the Missouri River to be
about ten p(Acent per one hundred pounds,
while for tw hundred miles west the rate is
about twent tents per one hundred pounds
The greatest wheat portion of our State is
about two hundred miles from the
river. The prevailing rates for hauls
less than one hundred miles are
not SO bnrdensOme as for those of
greater distance, and the greater the die
lance the greater the burden, which fact
should be considered when adjusting rate
upon any commodity so important to the
State as that of wheat. This theory of de-
termining reasonable rates can not be main
tanned under any uniform and infexible rule
as the circumstances and conditions which
have so much to do with determining q
reasonable rate are constantly changing,
thus necessitating frequent changes of
freight charges. am sir, very respectfully
yours. f. j. TURNER,
Secretary of Railroad Commissioners.
Topeka, KAN, February 9, 1885.