Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-10-27
FARMERS RAILROADS.
Mr.. HAIRS Plan for Enabling Farmers
to Build Their Own Roads.

pTOUloIu Is Cuc 5drdulOuuC question OF
the hour and is scarcely second in i'm
portance to even the money question it.
self, it follows that any we'll digested
plan of solution must commend itself to
all who wish well to the farmer in his
present struggle to emancipate himself
from the load of middlemen and tariffs
of various sorts now preying on his an
nual surplus.
Every platform of every farmers con-
vention or public meeting held in the
United States of America during the
last year or more has plank demanding
in some sort that the general govern
ment own or control the railroads. By
sort of common consent it is assumed
by all these conventions, and assented to
on all sides by the press. that somehow
the government can take possession Of
and run the railroads of this land as the
imperial authorities of Germany and
Russia do theirs. Men seem to forget
that this is a republic; that contracts are
binding here; that although the public
at the outset had rights yet now those
rights have lapsed, and that private
ownership Of our highways has become
not only matter of fact but is also
backed by decisions of our courts that
nothing short of change of constitution
and a revolution can unsettle. How
then is our government to own these
railroads? BY purchaser No. For, first.
they will not sell; and, second. we can
not buy, since out Of the 00,000,000
over one-half-to wit. 81, $50, 900, 000-of
their value. according to Poor's Manual,
is water.
Now, sir, my plan is, let that water
drip out by method perfectly constitu-
tional. just and right and so put the
railroad lords in selling mood. Your
space will not allow me even fair
chance to go into detail. but to show the
farmers that by going away, say five
miles or so from any railroad, they may
parallel it, using fifty-six pound steel
to the yard at a cost not to exceed $4,000
or $1,000 mile: that if each mile in
length the farmers on either side to the
number of forty to the mile unite they
can grade up their own roadbed, can
take three rods in width. fence it, and
absolutely own it. and so adjust it's af-
fairs that no one but resident farmer
shall own cent of its stock. and the to-
tai cost to each of the forty farmers will
not exceed $3.50 a mile possibly plus
some individual labor of each in grading
and fencingl | prove to the farmers
that they can own and control their own
road. and when forty of them to the
mile. for five to ten miles on each side of
the road. combine and agree to give all
their business to any such road the Whole
game is in their own hands.
show that good railroad men, CAPT.
talists and managers stand ready to
lease such roadbed. build it's steel
bridges. run their own cars on it and do
all our business Gmark the our) ut one
third present rates on any line of rail-
road in the state Tor nation). | prove
that for us to keep five miles away is to
our immense advantage. We put in
small side track at every cross wagon
road: we need no depots of any great
value-an old box car is often good
enough. Our cooperative stores will
locate at those cross roads and do all our
business. and we will so lease one line
of road that each mile that is $50 miles
away from Chicago will pay us 6 per
cent. on al cost and divide Sc 900 mile
between MS and our lessees
Now. as to the towns and cities that
we pass. leaving them to one side, have
this to say: This is the year of our Lord
1890. and the farmer. after sleep of
thirty years. is awakening, and like Rip
Van Wrinkle be is not caring much