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

The following report was subsequently
submitted by Commissioner Turner:
! To the Honorable Speaker of the House OF
Representatives. State of Kansas:
| SIR:-When the House resolution request
| Ing an opinion OF the Board of Railroad Com
| miss!oners us TO whether reduction
| upon the present grain rates would
be advisable, was received by
| them, i was absent from the CITY
| therefore did not have the opportunity of
| joining with my colleagues in their reply
which / have carefully read. and will say
that fully concur i'll the conclusions reached
by them; yet the question involved is of
such importance that / have deemed il best
TO more fully express my views upon the
reasOnableness OF any rate in separate
communication. There is. perhaps no ques-
ton in which our people arc more interested
than that of freight rates; and YET, possibly,
there is no question so little understood bv
the general public. For this reason will
not be able to be as brief as / would like.
Railroads can not psOSper where the peo-
pie who pRtrOniZe them do not prosper nor
can the people along the line of any railroad
be well served If the company is not in a
prosperous condito on. Railroad interests are
so identical with those of the people that
when viewed from an impartial standpoint,
railroads and their patrons can scarcely be
considered ether than partners in business.
As such. Il is the duty of each TO help the
other. The apparent antagonsm existing be-
tween them is more imaginary than real, vet
there are many instances where railroad Off
Gals strive to take undue advantage of their
patrons. Upon the other hand. many indi-
vidnals and committees frequently strive to
take undue advantage of railroads.
There arc many conflicting ideas in regard
to the principles established by Transports
ton companies in determining proper rates
upon the different commodities transported.
II these principles were more fully under
stood. there would he much less complaint.
Ii is 10 be regretted that the Representatives
of railroad interests do not take more pains
to inform the prblic upon this important
question
If rates could be based entirely upon the
actual cost of transportation. there would be
less trouble il adjusting them; but upon
this basis the adjustment could not be so /
well made before the service had been per-
formed, as afterwards. for actual cost de- /
pends greatly upon the amount of business |
done. In estimating cost. IL is necessary to |
know whether one ear OF freight or twenty !
or forty cars, constituted the train perform |
ing the service. At some seasons of the /
year. freight is moved in one direction which /
necessitates the hauling OF empty cars in the !
other. while at other times freight is moved I
in both directions. Even the weather affects /
the cost of carriage of freight. Nome of I
these elements, so important IN determining 1
the actual cost, can be actually determined \
before the service is performed. If they |
could be. or could they be approximately de- /
termined, it would not solve the problem
what is a just and reasonable rate" Such |
rate can not be determined upon that basis
alone.
Every railroad company justly endeavors
to raise sufficient revenue to pay it's fixed
charges, operating expenses, and a reason !
able dividend upon the cspital stock. Some of
the larger and stronger systems of railroads
succeed in this. but shall endeavor TO show
that II is rot because of eXorbitant or exces-
sive rates charged There sre many rail
roads, also. which do not pay operating ex-
penses. but il is not because their rate for
as compared with other COM
panies, are not sufficiently high. 1t is be-
cause the business done by these roads is
not sufficient to produce the necessary
revenue, except by the receipt of such ex-
orbtaut charges, which. if imposed would
operate almost as a total embargo. Success
ful management of railroad is best Sc