Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-08
WORTHY WICHITA.
The Railway Commissioners Reaf1rn
Their Decision That Wichita Is
Wholesale and Manufacture
ing Center.

Kansas tribunal in the past has proved
of such importance to the material in
I terests of Kansas as will that found in
the Geographic columns of the EAGLE
this morning, and eminating from the
state board of railway commissioners,
after patient rehearing of the case of
| Wichita versus the five railway trans
portation companies named. As the de-
cision itself recites, the former action of
| the board was made the subject Of a
species of criticism which upon its face
was a total misconstruction of the facts,
but ip which in truth, were in
cited largely by a determination OF
parties in interest to break it down.
Vainly did the EAGLE declare that the
former decision was righteous ADJUST
ment of rates intended to wipe out fla
grant determinations; vainly did this
paper attempt to show that the case was
brought, argued and adjudicated in
strict compliance with the terms of the
statutes. All our words seemed to no
purpose, further than to, like the red
rag in the bulls face, set whole commu-
mites crazy. Towns and so-called cities
which do not handle five hundred car
loads of wholesale goods or articles Of
their own manufacture in the course of
a whole years time, Joined howl whose
insanity could have only met with a
lively appreciation upon the part of the
railway managers themselves; surely by
no one else who understood anything of
the matter. Some of the towns
named went SO far as to say
that they should have the benefit of the
decision, otherwise it must be rescinded,
while others declared that the railro DAD
commissioners must make Wichita's
case everybody's case or throw it out Of
court.
The wise and level-headed board did
neither, but having reopened the case
and having gone all over the demurring
and criticisms of the railway companies
in interest, now send out renewed de-
cision, which while strongly reaffirming
their previous conclusions at the same
time gives the facts and figures IN ex-
tense upon which the decision was ar
rived at. In short the new decision is
in the nature of an educational mani
festo which while carrying conviction on
its face will enlighten and show
not few peoples and papers
that they did not know of what they
were complaining, and had these peo-
pies and their editors taken the pains to
have read the original memorial of
Wichita and the subsequent decision of
the commissioners instead of becoming
the ready tools of designing railroad Of
ficials, they would not have cut the
ridiculous figure of playing estate con-
vention" in a matter of judicial adjust
ment Of specified discrimination cover
ed by the law.
But the Kansas railway commissions
ers neither lost their heads by an uneX-
pected and unreasonable clamor nor
were they swept from their feet by the
pressure Of railway managers and mag
mates, but they go straight and boldly
forward with the declaration of the well
known fact that 1.-THE manufacturing
"and commercial interests of Kansas
City, No., derive the principal
''benefit of this discrimination
gin freight rates." as against the
people, the money and the prosperity of
Kansas which did so much to build the
roads thus discriminating. The argu-
ment, of this portion of this very important
document while of immeasurable i'm
portance to the states prosperity, will be
read everywhere with the greatest in
terest, but by no people or by no in
terests with the profound feeling that it
will be read by Wichita, Kansas, and by
Kansas City, Missouri, however diverse
the motives The truth that no one, not
even the railways, had ever revealed to
the commissioners reason why Kansas
City, Missouri, competing for the trade
of Southwest Kansas, should enjoy ad-
vantages over Wichita, is
truth the farthest reaching in
its Importance, and the EAGLE must
be excused the pride it feels in the recol-
lection that with all the force of the
words at its command it has urged that
same principle so long upon not only the
people Of the state, but upon the rail
ways themselves. These principles as
declared and maintained by this paper,
especially for the past six years, could
have no greater nor stronger endorse
ment than that found in the vigorous.
clear and unwavering sentences of the
commission.
Well, and so, Wichita is to be ter
minal point, wholesale city, manu-
featuring center. Not going to be, but
is and has been for years. This decision
is but the states official recogni-
ton of fact which the EAGLE
has been proclaiming to the
world for years. The Determinations
made by the railroads, and which are so
pertinently and conspicuously pointed