The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-12

| cured nv carrrrSuo- fha xir,urn rS0SSihflifv
of TRANSFORMATION itself rather than the
| highest pOssjhla rata therafor If Is a weI-
esfabiished fact that where the rate cbarred
upon any commodity is too high il ffimin-
ishes rather than increases the amount TO
be transported, therefore il is fair to pre-
! sumo that when a rate upon any class of
freight prevents its being moved without
! profit to the shipper that rate is too high
and should be reduced-not only for the good
of the shipper but for the benefit Also of
the company
TRANSPORTATION companies long ago learned
| that they could charge a much higher rate
for the TRANSPORTATION of certain kinds of
freight without complaint from the shippers
that upon certain other kinds of equal weight
! and bulk and possibly of eoual value This
leads to the system of classifcation which
! is now universally adopted by all transporta-
! ton companies. and which is so little under
! stood by the general public, and IL is not sur
. priSing that so many people persistently COM
| plain of discrimination in freight rates. while
! they are ignorant of the fact that it is the
! only system that can be adopted that will en-
1 able our heavy and less expensive articles to
| be transported at rates which the people can
/ afford to pay
| The actual cost of hauling an empty train
| is almost as much as the cost of moving a
| loaded one; therefore when the train must
| be hauled over the road with its engineer,
/ fireman conductor and brakeman il be-
| comes 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 ii, and it is TO
I
often too slow in compreheudinr This very
important fact
Upon these bases. then, we are to deter
mine whether or NOT the nresent rates upOn
grain i'm orr States are TO high.
England Is the Consumer OF our surDlus
wheat The vame IF il in thar mark is de-
termiued by the reported Surplus nor onIy
in This conntrv- buT in the world and this
SURPLUS is estimated from time 10 time as tho
cron is hpiug grow, So accurate is This esti-
mate that de9iers NOT only in Eurone but
taintv tive amount Of Surnlis in rho courtrv
long before il is harvested. / cannot believe
therefore Ibat q rpduction in FREIGHT rates
would permanently reduce the value in that
market
The price in New York is determined bv
the nrice in Eurone IiyarDool being the con
trolling morketl less the cost of tranSpor-
tatiou. Insurance. etc. from New York TO
LIVERPOOL The price in Chicago is de-
ternined by the price in New York less the
cost of transDOrtation Insurance. etc from
Chicago 10 New York The price in Kansas
CITY, or other Missouri River points. is de-
termined by the price in Chicago, less the
cost of transportation Insurance. etc. from
the Missouri River TO Chicago and the price
at any point in Kansas is determined by the
price al 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 nav a higher rate for the
TRANSPORTATION of his wheat one hundred or
two hundred miles than the nrOduccri Kan
reason that the Kansas producer not only
pays for Il haul equal in distance to the haul
paid by the New York producer, but in addi-
ton must nav 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
much higher prices for his groceries, dry
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 StAIe4 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
a very great degree upon our Turning inter
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
benefited thereby rs that of transportation
companies Wheat and corn are the princi-