Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-15
CHICAGO WORKED UP.

1t is familiar axiom that "rlghI
wrongs nobody" yet the righting of the
great wrong under which Wichita has
long suffered, in the matter of freight
determinations, by the recent affirma-
alton of their former decision by the
state board of railway commissioners
seems to have put the whole commercial
world by the ears. Kansas City was the
first to rush in with a protest, declaring
that to remove the existing discrimina-
to st. Louis that would work her
*. C.'s commercial ruin. One
would have supposed from the howl
made that the very existence Of the
trading point at the Kaw's mouth de-
pended upon the maintenance of cur
rent rates of - to % per cent in its
favor, and that no other point would
suffer in the least therefrom; but the
following from the Chicago Herald Of
June Is indicates that that place mag
ines itself badly hurt by the ruling as
Kansas City. The Herald says:
An important meeting of the TRANSMITS
souri, association will be held in the Rock
cry building tomorrow to consider what
action is necessary to take in view of the
recent order of the Kansas railroad conf
missioners requiring heavy reduction in
Jobbing rates in territory tributary to
Wichita. The order of the commissioners
makes 1t obligatory upon the roads to
cease discriminating against Wichita by
July l. This can either be done by
reducing Wichita rates or by advaDc-
ing Kansas City rates. 1t is uncertain
what action will be taken, but all the
managers of Kansas roads agree that the
situation is serious in the extreme. If
rates have to be reduced, as is now thought
probable, the loss to the roads will be very
heavy. In view of the fact that a large
number Of cities in Kansas have applied to
the railroad commissioners to be put, in
the matter of railroad rates, on a parity
with Missouri river points, the reasons
which governed the commission in making
its decision in the Wichita case are Of in
tereSt The decision says: 1--WE are IN
able to imagine, and no one has revealed
TO us, q single reason founded on justice
and good business polity why Missourians
living in Kansas City and competing for
the trade of Kansas with Kansans living
in the interior of the state and pursuing
the same line of business should be given
20 per cent advantage over the Kansas
man in transportation rates over Kansas
roads. The logic Of our decision in this
case is that the Kansas man is entitled TO
be placed ip this respectsupon condition
OF equality with the Missourian."
The gross inconsistency of Chicago IN
this connection is at once shown by the
wall she raises against the roads to
northwestern points for alleged discrim-
ination in favor of the latter. But what
does Chicago care for consistency when
private interests are at stake?
But it is useless to discuss the matter
further at this end of the line. Wichita
has gotten, or will get all she asked for
in the premises, and that is simply fair
play-an equal show for her white ally,
so to speak, and if justice to her works
a hardship 10 others, that's their
misfortune, perhaps, but is GER
tainly not her fault. 1t is
noted that in the extract quoted from
the Herald that paper uses the language
in part of our state board in their de-
cision which contains the griSt of the
whole matter and on which the decision
is based, but the Herald nor anybody
else has undertaken 10 controversy it; II
would be useless to undertake it, it is in
controyertible-a very rock of Gibraltar
that is absolutely impregnable.
As TO Chicago and her grievance the
mode of redress. if real wrong is being
done her, is plain and simple. 1t was
for just such cases that the interstate
commerce commission was created, and
she could hardly fail to receive justice at
It's hands, though it is just possible that
that Is just what she does not want.