The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1890-08-23

The Kansas board of railway commits
sioners issued an order last week to all
the railroads in the State which reduces
the rates upon the local distance tariff 30
per cent. on wheat, flour, corn, oats, etc,
and 10 per cent. on merchandise, cattle,
coal, lumber, salt and like commodities.
The unequal crop conditions in Kansas
this year will necessitate an exchange
of supplies between different sections,
and will make local traffic more than US
ually heavy. The amount of money
which will be saved to the farmers will be
very considerable and will help them at
a time when it is necessary for them to
husband all of their resources and to ex-
ercise the greatest possible economy. The
railroads were all against the reduction,
but the commissioners are supposed to
represent the people, and they have been
secretely admonished of the danger of
confirming suspicion that they are not
always mindful of that fact in rendering
their decisions. The transportation
problem in this State will be solved in
due season if the farmes hold out for
their rights against the railroads, and
place mark upon the politicians who
are subsidized by corporate influences.
The above is quoted from the Riley
Regent for the purpose of showing our
ptOple ltlt DtIitilt tudt Noulu Dt ItIlhtl
from stringent railroad law. The State
of Kansas was practically owned, for a
number of years, by the Atchison, Tope-
ka i Santa Fe, when the Republican
party, in the interest of the people, took
the matter up and passed the present law
in face of all the opposition the railroads
could bring to bear. They will do the
same thing in Colorado. They must do
it, for the people will not much longer
bear the heavy burden placed upon them
by these corporations and held there by
subsidized politicians. Nearly every
State in the Union has had this same
question to settle, and Colorado is about
the only one left that has not put check
upon railroad extortion. The great State
of Texas was for years in the hands of
Jay Gould, and when hepeople took the
matter up and passed stringent rail
road law, he threatened to relinquish his
charters, and that not another mile Of
railroad would be built in the State.
Those same rouds are in operations to-
day and making money. Not only that,
but several hundred miles have been
added to the mileage of the State The
great Republican State OF Iowa with its
10000 majority was made very nearly n
doubtful State over this question, and
would probably to day be strongly Dem
ocratic il the Republican leaders had not
awakened to the situation and passed
the present bill now in force there. The
here and must be met, and that soon.
The people will not much longer submit
to the extortion these great corporations
have placed upon them, and we predict
that the State of Colorado will be classed
as doubtful State within two years, If
this question is not taken up this winter
and some relief afforded. At the last
session of our Legislature, a bill was
passed by one branch of that body and
when 1t went to the other one, was SO
changed its originator would never have
recognized it. The result was confer
ence committee and in a conference com
mittee it died. One strange thing about
the matter was that the presiding officer
of that body, from the time the bill came
before It, sat glued to his seat, and each
conference committee was composed OF
its worst enemies, all appointed by him.
How much those committees cost the
railroads we leave the people to find out
The same question will come up again
at the coming session, but we hope and
believe with different results. The Re
publican party is alive to the situation,
and will profit by experience. II the men
they elect them fail in the duty entrusted
to them, they will be relegated to private
life, and men that will do their duty
placed in power. The people will watch
this matter very closely this winter, and
we warn the party leaders, now in power,
that their tenure of office will be very
short, unless they take some action in
! this matter.