The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-01-01
wHERg rae BLAME LIES.
Tho Railroads Are Unprofiteble Not Bes
cause the Rates Are Low.


cause the Rates Are Low.
The truth is-and 1t is time the in
vestigating public should be told the
truth--it is not the so-called granger
laws" nor the interstate law, nor the
acts of commissions which have re-
duced the rates OF transportation to
the present Improbable level, bui the
Encouragement Of the companies
declares President Stickney in the
Railway Problem" For more than
twenty years the arrangements Of
Western railways have been engaged
In the prosecution OF rate wars in
which 1t was impossible to decide
which was acting on the offensive and
which on the defensive. Each mana
ger has surrounded himself with q
standing army OF freight and passen-
ger agents, contracting agents, solic-
ting agents, advertising agents trav-
cling agents. clerks, typewriters and
runners. In every important city,
and in many unimportant towns, de-
tachments OF each Of the companies
have been permanently quartered. oc-
cupying the most expensive offices at
the most conspicuous corners OF the
most important streets Hardly day
has passed during twenty years
without active engagements In
each city in Z which all the
forces have been under fire. No ex-
pense has been spared to equip them
with the latest and most expensive
arms. The arts Of the printer the
photographer and the engravers ON
wood and steel have been exhausted.
Theatre tickets, credits at livery
stables and et ceteras," have been
supplied without stintAand mo ques-
lions asked" These expenses OF the
standing armies have been enor-
nous; but like all standing armies,
they are consumers and not producers.
All of them together have not In
twenty years produced single ton OF
freight Their whole duty is to get
the freight which others have pro-
duced routed over their line, honest
ly as they can, but get it." After two
nations have been at war until the re-
: sources Of both are exhausted, and q
treaty of peace has been concluded,
the first step towards making II per-
manent Is TO dishand their armies or
at any rate withdraw them to the in
: terror. AS long as they are on the
frontier, face to face under arms no
continuous peace Is expected.
From time to time during the twen-
y ty years war; the chiefs have made
d solemn compacts OF peace These
3 treaties have the necessary solemni-
u ties but not once have they with
8 drawn or disbanded their forces. For
) few days at time have they slept
o with their guns loaded only to renew
+ the contest on the first pretext, with
o renewed vigor and destructiveness
: This has been tho true cause OF the
: destruction of revenues, instead O
G Granger laws or State Commits
: sions,"
d The managers know It but the,
o have been too cowardly TO avow II
d 'Hast thou eaten Of tho tree whereof
y commanded thee thou shouldst nc
, eatP" was demanded many years age
1T 'And the man said, Tho woman, whol
ID thou gavest to be with me, she gay
al me OF the tree, aud l did eat
n This sneakfng pusillanimous ira
D. OF the first man has descended throue
more than two hundred generations
d men TO the railway management OF 81
l. nineteenth century. And the manag,
!, ments said, "The laws and the CON
j. missions they gave mo OF the tree an
% l did eat "