Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-08-28

] 49, I--- --e--l-Aa a---A-lA
/ a revision Of the grain rates On all Of the
| different railroads in Kansas, and after con-
/ sulting with the gentlemen representing the
freight department Of each company yesbeF-
| day forwarded the following letter and
/ schedule Of rates to the managers Of the
/ various roads:
/ DELR Sn-In tbs matter Of complaints re-
l Geiged by this board some time ago from the
I townships OF Dayton, Cambria, Walnut and
/ SMOKY View, ia Saline county, Kansas rela-
ave 70 rates charged on grain transportation
/ over the Union Pacihc road, in TINS state
I the board OF railroad commissioners desire
\ % make final disposition Of it. As you
I viii remember, the subject of these COM
plants was discussed by US at some length
l on the 5lst OF December last, and the views
/ OF the board stated IN 3 general way. hOE
/ reasons then stated the matter was referred
for a time, to be taken up subsequently Dy
I che board, in conjunction with your COM
4 pany and that Of other companies whose
tariffs would be Immediately affected by q
l change IN the grain rates aa GOreshadOW5d
I by US Two successive conferences have
Z been held by the board with the gentlemen
/ representing the freight departments of the
Union Pacific, the AtChisCn, Topeka d Santa
I Re and the Central Branch roads, but with
I cut reaching satisfactory result. The
board after hearing the views Of those gen
! temen, took the matter under advis5ment,
| and have since carefully reviewed and con-
/ eldered the matters involved and the views
/ heretofore expressed by Us.
| The reasons heretofore given, which in
duc6d the board to believe that a revision Of
I the wheat tsrih was, under existing cOndi-
| lions, advisable, were stated Thus:
''But We feel bound to consider other
/ questions IA this connection, which possess
/ IN our judgment, aa important bearing
upon the matters. 1t is unQ questionable that
[ she price Of wheat at the Missouri river is
! the Chicago price, less the cost Of handling
I and transportation from the river TO that
[ point. The wheat region Of Kansas is more
remote from the common market than the
[ wheat raised in the states named, and the
| cost Of reaching it is cOrrespondingly
greater; but the surplus produced in the
| country must find foreign market for con
sum- tiOn, and the price upon the whole pro
Duct Is substantially liked there. The re-
cent opening up of extensive new wheat
I areas IN other countries swelling tina worlds
surplus, and the reduction Of the cost Of
ocean fEeiEhts from remote regions TO the
common points Of consumption, have to-
gether brought about a decline in the price
OF this cereal. from which lG Will perhaps,
never wholly recover. That the present low
I prices will rule steadily is not TO be 5L-
I pecbsd5 since these viii operate directly and
powerfully 70 lessen Produelons and IN
crease consump tiOu- But We are forced TO
I the conviction that lower rates have come to
stay a considerable length Of time.
Wheat is one Of the principal productions
Of Kansas. The lands In the middle and
more western portions OF the state are, per
lapss better adapted to the growth Of wheat
than the other cereals. Il is q product
which, so long as it continues to be produced
IL large quantities. must, or the larger pOr-
ton OF It, be carried long distances over
railroads 1t IS a product Of great value to
tbs people, and 1t furnishes a large volume
OF Urat1c 70 the railroads. Under favorable
conditions 1t Is quite certain that the wheat
producing area In Kansas viii be extended
With the settlement now going on SO rap
Idly. Lands, too, even less adapted to corn
than those within the present wheat belt.
/ Is Is on the other hand, in the highest de-
gree probable that under conditions similar
to those that now exist, the production OF
I wheat will rapidly decline in the state. with
consequent decline to its prosperity and loss
70 railroads.
We have already noticed the fact that the
[ larger the volume Of tEafnc over a railroad
the less the rate OF transportation charge
may be. This results from the fact that the
I expenses incident to handling an increased
volume of traffic do not increase in the sans
ratio as the traffic We believe It is regard
| cd as good policy to supply 80 far as rail-
roads may be able and can safely do So
/ those conditions which viii stimulate pro-
duCtiOu. The board are Of the opinion that
/ the time has arrived when something In this
direction should be attempted. We believe
that revision Of the wheat tariff in the d.
reCtions indicated in the argument Of Mr..
I Collins would materially aid in restoring
. dropping industry.
With corn the conditions are materially
/ 1iherent. The tariff is already a low one.
I L44G lE4G9 OF IL is 41l SO lesl1-tldL4E hlGA4
/ foreign demand as wheat, nor yet is it so
universally product. Its price can be bet
| 55r regulated, for that reason, since supply
san more readily adapt itself 70 the demands
d consumption.
We are aware Of the fact that there is little
/ " no wheat to be moved at the present time
md for this reason and others which We viii
l presently MENTION the board refrain from
indicating the precise extent to which rsvis-
on should be made. Revision upon one
road, penetrating the western wheat belt
VII affect others operating the western part
II the state. 1t is but Just that they should
Dc heard, and, their interests considered, be
lore the final ruling upon the matter, fixing
rates by the board. Besides, to afford the
people the full measure OF benefit arising
Irom such revision 1t must extend 70 q point
which the powers Of the board do not reach.
We further think It of the hrst importance
hat care should be taken to protect and tos-
bsE home industries. The more OF our Oggn
wheat We are able TO convert into a higher
product, by mills within our borders the
less viii our farmers become the sport Of
bulls and bears upon change
SIN accordance with these views the board
viii take such appropriate and timely meas
ures as may be necessary to reach such re-
vision rs may be most desirable and useful
Since these views were expressed, the con-
d1t0ns then prevailing have not undergone
material change, nor are they likely TO. The
production OF food substances has increased
the past few years IN greater ratio than
population. This is especially true Of wheat.
K is estimated that the territory IL wheat
cultivation has doubled, in The United States
and British colonies outside Of India, with
Ia the past fourteen years. and In addIt on
large areas Of land have been opened up 70
The cultivation Of the same cereal IN the last
named country. That production has very
largely oFertaksn consumption Of wheat Ii
evident from the rapid and persistent de-
cline IN ruling prices The GheGpgu1uG pro
e8asaa which have been introduced into 9TH
eE departments Of productive industry, by
EEEruF SAVING leWIlsea. and farming
ehinery with increased power, have had the
eject OF turning constantly GugmenEug
increment Of labor 20 agricultural pursuits
what We have seen going on In Kansas for
the past lev years. must nom the force OF
circumstances, continue indefinitely until
al th8 land available within her borders has
hsan turned 90 cultivation VIZ: the rapid
settlement Of the country. The greater
number Of those Who come to the Wa8t and
take up small homestead tracts, are persons
Of small means, whose circumstances re-
uuiEs that they shall turn their lands 70 the
raadisst available aCCount, and In most IN
stances that d the raising Of Vheat. ms
cereal, besides being more readily marketed
G. less subject TO those Eiciszitudss and risks
incident which, upon the higher lands CT
tbs western plains must, as a Fui6B eGooGu-
Ger the droughts Of the later SIMMER
months before reaching maturity. For this
reason e e highly probable that the lands IN
the western part Of the state which are sb-
8oEbing 6 rapidly increasing population.
VII prove bsttsE adapted to the raising o1
small grains than % corn The experiences
Of the past rev years IN the vest confirms
the truth Of these observations.
These lands are 90 remote from market.
or the commercial eeutaEs, where the urica
So uLeds that az prices which rule and have
Eulsd for couEidarabis TINS past. and
which conditions point cut must ssntinue
60 prevail IN the future, ahs raising Of Uhsai
hardly pays for the cost OF labor and seed