Omaha daily bee., 1892-12-18
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Ever since the fret locomotive whistle
was heard in the State OF Nebraska the
Missouri river has been the dividing
line between moderate exaction and
highway robbery. The moment any
commodity crossed the Missouri IL was
subjected TO an arbitrary railroad tax
varied NJ the pleasure OF the traffic man
ager. For years and years the people
OF Nebraska have borne these exactions
not always without murmur or protest
because their lawmakers we're cor
rupted and their servants on the rail-
road commission shamefully neglected
to do their duty.
1t has always been conceded by
rational people that railways running
through q sparcely settled region cam
not carry freight as cheaply as railroads
running through densely settled sec
tion that affords them heavier traffic.
AS regards Nebraska that differ
ence was more marked twenty or even
fifteen yea rs ago than it is today. Me-
braska with a population of 100000
IN 1892 is not the Nebraska
with population OF 100000
In 1872. But the railroad managers
persistently ignore this change in con-
ditions and continue to discriminate
against Nebraska and the region be-
vond. They point to the marvellous de-
velopment of the resources OF the
transmissouri country by railroads, but
keep on levying the same tribute on
populous Nebraska and her 10000 900
worth of annual products that they
levied upon Nebraska when she was a
| part OF tho American desert They
still sing the same old song about the
| low through rates as an Offset to the
exorbitant local rates.
This voluntary beneficence on the
part of railroad managers will no
longer satisfy the great mass of their
patrons. The high local rates have not
only robbed producer and consumer, but
they have been damaging drawback
to Omaha and every other city in Ne
braska. This is admitted by every
merchant, except possibly the favored
few who enjoy rebates, drawbacks and
free transportation for their commercial
travellers 1t is admitted coniidentially
even by the favored jobbers, who are
talking loudest against any reduction of
rates because they are subsidized to
talk it.
High local rates have wellnigh de-
stroyed our lumber market and crippled
our dealers in heavy commodities and
our mills and factories. Exorbitant
local rates are alone responsible for the
fact that Omaha has not been able to
cope with Kansas City as grain mar
ket. Kansas City boasts seventeen
grain elevators and forty-fve grain
handling firms. If the local grain rates
from the interior of Nebraska to Omaha
were as low as arc the rates from
equi-distant!in terror points in Kansas tc
Kansas City, Omaha would handle the
bulk of the grain raised in this state and
a good portion of Kansas and South
Dakota grain.
Now why shall not Nebraska have
Kansas local rates on grain If she can
not have the Iowa rate? The only
reason is the refusal of the Bur.
lington. the Rock Island and the North
western systems to give Omaha fail
chance to compete with Chicago and
Kansas City. How much Longer
will Nebraska submit to the ar.
bitrary levy of high local rates:
How much longer will the Stat'
Board of Transportation continue
in defiance OF public sentiment and il
violation of the repeated pledges of th'
: republican party TO tolerate the imposi
tion OF eXorbitant burdens by the raj!
roads? Will the coming Legislature
dare to shirk its auty to carry out tn
mandate of the constitution that re
quires them to establish reasonable
,, freight and passenger rates?
THE BEE voices the sentiment OF tn
people of Nebraska, regardless of party
in demanding r material reduction Q
local rates. This demand cannot b
. STAYED off much longer if we judge tn,
| temper of the people rightly.