Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-03-17
ULTIMATUM.
The Trans-MIsseuri Assoeia-
tien Brought to Taw.
Kansas Commissioners Assert the
Power of the State Against Roads
Which Have Chosen to Obey Other
Authority.

TOPEKA, March 9.-The board of railroad
commissioners for Kansas have taken action
in the matter of disputed rates on sugar and
other articles known as fifth class freight.
The board preludes its ruling by a state
ment of the whole controversy, a recital of
the pledges giving by the roads in connection
with their late agreement with the wholesale
grocers of Kansas. which, they say, have now
been broken by the railroads.
''The final result has proven that the kan
sss railway companies are subject to an asso-
citation power which can, at viii, force them
to deny admitted obligations to the citizens
of Kansas, and humiliate them in falsifed
pledges, broken faith, and repudiated con-
tracts. They have all submitted to this for
eign dictation IN the formal notice Of the
cancellation Of rates made IN obedience to
their contract, some before they became
effective, and the Others effective on March
18th inst.
at now remains for the commission TO as
Bert the authority of the state, IN a reduction
of the local rate on sugar and other COM
mobiles involved In the complaint, to a de-
gree and in such manner as to make them
nOn-discriminative, reasonable and just. In
doing this the commission is not bound by
the original order reducing rates on fifth
class, viii h was suspended IN respect to the
agreed commodity rates on a portion Of that
which governed in consenting to the sabsti-
ton of the agreement of February 8, between
the cemplainants and respondents, for its or
der OF January 6.
s'This action on the part of the respondent
companies in naming a Is cent addition 70
the Missouri river rates on sugar Is IN perfect
agreement with the judgment of the commls-
sion, which asked for a As cent through rate
on that commodity from the south and east
to the several loboing poi It's named IN tins
controversy. Its voluntary concession, In
the agreement, would seem to conclude the
argument in support of Is cent rate from
Missouri river points as at once reasonable
and Just. But the commission need not rest
upon this recognition alone for its justihca-
ton, inasmuch as these same companies have
voluntarily adopted, wi h the official sanction
of both the Western and Missouri asso-
Citations, both Of which now appear as pro
testants, a much lower rate than this on
sugar moved in all directions, and nearly
everywhere except in Kansas.
''Ihe proposed rate of 10 cents yields to the
companies nearly three times the revenue per
ton mile of that which prevails across and
around Kansas, in all directions.
'srhe commission therefore finds, decides
aid orders, that on and after March 16, 1892,
the rate on sugar, car load lots, from Fort
Scott, Kansas City, Kan, Leavenworth and
Atchison shall be Is cents per 100 pounds; ;
and that in place of the order of January 6,
1892, reducing the rate on the fifth class. a
commodity rate shall take effect and be IN
force from and after March 16, 1892, on
canned goods, coffee and beans, in car load
lots, of - cents TO Salina, 25 cents to Hutch
inson and Wichita, and % cents to Arkansas
City,"