Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-26
TAKE WARNING.

whatever reduction is made In the
charges for freightage would be equiva-
lent to adding that much to the market
price of the article. That would seem
to be a plain proposition, but in point of
fact. would it? 1t is true that present
rates were fixed by the roads when the
price of corn, for instance, was
| fully three times what it is
now and of course the rate
is entirely out of proportion with
present prices and other conditions: the
present crop is twice as large and this OF
itself would afford the roads as much
revenue as before au half the rate, and
| if there were nothing else to affect the
market price there could be no question
about the business Of the demand for
such reduction.
| But there is another consideration that
must be taken into account. 1t is agreed
| by all that the market price Of farm
the old 1ule or idea of supply. and de-
mand, as by the greed of the spectators
and gamblers on the market. As has
been said not one bushel of actual grain
in fifty of the number hypothecated
in the speculations on the markets. Is
in sight. or in existence as for that; but
the spectators and gamblers, known by
the more plausible name of bears, are in
position to take advantage of the slight
est pretext to depress the market, and as
long as they hold their grip-and the
only way to shake them loose is with a
vigorous statute and with rigorous
penalty-they would take prompt adj
vantage of reduction of freight rates
and bear down the market price just
that much. Hence, from this state of
case, and we believe it is as stated, o
reduction Of freight rutes, if publicly
announced, would not benefit the pro-
ducers, as is claimed and no doubt be-
lieved by many, though it would take
just that much from the earnings of the
railroads.
There is matter in this connection,
however, that seriously affects the inter-
ests of the farmers of this state, if we
are correctly informed, and there seems
TO be no doubt about it, and that is the
determinations against this state in the
matter of freight rates on corn and other
cereals and cereal products, and in favor
of Iowa and Nebraska. 1t is alleged,
and upon apparently unquestionable
authority, that the rate on corn from the
latter states to the Atlantic seaboard is
say 80 cents hundred pounds, while
from Kansas 4S cents is exacted, the
same being true of the rates to the gulf
ports. The effect of this is to practically
cut Kansas off from outside markets,
and the market gamblers have
nothing to do with it. Neither can our
our state railroad commissioners correct
it, for it is matter that is beyond their
jurisdiction, being an interstate question,
hence exclusively under the control of
the interstate commerce commission.
How long this discrimination has been
practiced we do not know, but whether
long or brief it is a great outrage and
should be corrected at once, as it can be
if the federal law that was made to cor
rect just such abuses be applied to it.
The farmers of Kansas feel, and they
have cause to feel. that they are dis
eliminated against in other ways, from
which there seems to be no means of
present or early relief, but this discrimi-
nation against them as a community, as
above indicated, is simply unbearable.
And since it can be corrected they de-
mand that it be done and at once. They
have reached that point beyond which
forebearance is no longer a virtue.
Reverting to the question of grain
gambling again, the only means of relief
seems to be through congressional en-
actment, and the honorable senators and
representatives want to take notice that
the feeling of discomfort among the
masses is not being allayed by long
winded discussions of merely sentiment
al questions. There is a common belief
among the people that measures of relief
could be given precedence of all others
and be fastened through and put into
operation, and the manifest indisposition
on the part Of both those bodies to afford
the relief that is so urgently demanded
is not helping the future prospects of
their members one whit. Frittering
away time discussing the race question
when the masses of the citizen OF the
country are hanging on desperately to the
ragged edge Of destruction is simply ex-
asperating, and to discuss schemes for
squandering hundreds of millions of dol
lars for coast defenses, navy and the
like, while the farmers are being forced
over the precipice of bankruptcy, is an
insult to patience and patriotism. Some
measure for the suppression of the
infamous system of trusts and combines
in this country, prominent among which
is the set of gamblers Oh the produce
markets, is of infinitely more concern
than federal election laws, or national
education schemes, or hundred other
impracticable propositions over which
both houses of congress spend hours and
days apparently for no other purpose
than to pose before the country and Kill
time.
The people are awfully tired of such
and so much tomfoolery, and they are
terribly in earnest in demanding
change, and 1t is no idle prophecy to say
that change is going to take place.
|
KANSAS DAY-PLANT TREES.