The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-03-21

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oupr friend. The gas company OF this
| city under a frar4chise granted years
ago when Wichita was much SmaliSr
| than she is today still continue 10
| charge us IS for d | 900 feet OF gas, vet
| the same grade of gas Is sold in many
/ other cities as low as % cents and 81,
! but the gas company claim that more
| gas is consumed in these other cities.
l answer that he gas company IN this
| city is selling today gas Tor other pur-
| poses than lighting purposes as low as
| 81 per 900. Why charge one man g
| and another 81 for the same thing?
! The purpose for which an article is
used should not enter into the cost Of
| thearticle. II would be absurd TO say
| that you must pay 30 cents d yard for
| calico if you make. it into a bed COM
! fort. but if you make it into a dress for
/ the body only 10 cents. It is estimated
| that on a fair basis the city and people
| of Wichita could be saved nearly
| $40, 900 a year or gas alone. An effort
! should be made to bring this relentless
| corpora ton 10 terms. Can IL, and viii
! it be done?
| The city pays the water company
| some $4,000 a year for water plugs and
nearly $4,000 in addition by the citi
! ZenS for private uses. y conservative
| estimate discloses the fact that under
| some other system nearly $4,000 could
! be saved to our city and citizens on
| the total cost Of this water supply.
The city pays 500 year for all
| night are lamps. while other cities get
| them as low as $45. 4 saving could be
made to the city and people on the
cost of general lighting OF nearly $780,
| 0G0 a year.
And now comes the telephone COM
| pany tapping at out door, asking for
| renewal Of its franchise. This COM
| pany has charged US for years $50 for
! offered for such highwayiSm is that be
cause they could they did. Telephones
! can be furnished TO subscribers at $50
! a year and leave a good profit 10 the
company. On 500 phones saving can
| be made of some $4,000 a year TO our
people. VIII the people stand idly by
and allow this outrage to be further
/ continued?
And SO we might go on referring TO
/ these minor corporations whose aggre-
gate eXtOrtions and robberies amount
( to the enormous sum of nearly SOC, 600
/ d year.
But towering far above its compan-
| ions rises the head of the deadly "UpaS
! Tree" of extortionate and diScrimina-
ting freight rates. Rates based on
neither equity nor justice, but made
and riveted on us by the iron hand Of
corporate power Rates made and eS-
tabliShed with no other end in view
than to break down and rob one section
To build up another. Rates made to
provide dividends on stocks of water
and wind. Rates made to pay divi-
dendS on 100000 per mile when less
than $4,000 viii cover the cost. Rates
made with the knowledge that their
/ enforcement means misery and power
~ and the life blood Of the people taken
for the enrichment OF ariStocrasy and
the satisfaction of plutocratic greed
j,
TO the Golfers of the railroads of the
state nearly $4,000, 900 d year in excess
i've and unjust freight charges, this vast
sum is eXtorted from the people by
methods unknown To honorable bust
ness transactions. No other business
could succeed in any community if
done by the rules of freight rate Sched-
ules. 1t is $50 miles from Pittsburg
Kansas. TO Kansas City. II is $50 miles
from Pittsburg, Kansas, to Wichita.
and yet the same railroad haulS the
same coal TO Kansas City that it hauIs
10 Wichita but charges Kansas City
only % cents q ton while Wichita is
compelled to pay $3.50 fer the same
coal or freeze. ON this basis of rates
Wichita is compelled to pay nearly
$4,000 year excess charges on coal
alone. The state of Kansas pays -
cents per 100 for each 100 miles hauled
while our ncighborS only pay II cents.
Can Kansas. can Wichita pay - cen .
for AN article and compete with OR
neighbors who only pay il cents. l say
frankly, we cannot, and am surprised
10 hear any man who processes to he a
friend of Kansas or Il friend of Wichita
attempt to justify such eXtOrtionate
charges. Give Wichita the same rate
per ton per mile place her on the same
level of her competitors, give her an
open field and fair fight and she will
soon settle the VcXed question of dis
eliminating freight rates. Break down
the wall OF diScrimina ton against Kan
SaS. give us the benefit of fair maxi
mum rates and Kansas will be saved
the enormous yearly oVerchdrSe OF
nearly $4,000 00o.
The salaries of city and county Off
Gals is not our troubles. The So we
pay the school girl - not too heavy.
The 500 we pay the fireman VINO takes
the nozzle in his hand and jumps into
the flames Of death should never be
touched, rather let us turn our atten-
ton in city affairs 10 less necessary
items and use the pruning knife on
the outer branches not necessary To the
comfort and good government of the
city.
\ rehabilitation Of the excess char
gas imposed on our people which il ad-
justed on fair and equitablebasis
would save us.
ON water supply 10 city and
people. 49,. ................ $1,000
on electric lights and blinkers 10000
ON gas to city and people...-... 5000
ON telephones at a fair price 1000
ON excess of paving contracts. 2e0oG
/ On excess freight on COAL. 100000
/ on excess gen. mdse. 200 900
Total. $50. GOO
So vast sum as this demands more
/ than a passing notice and only adds
/ additional weight TO the necessity Of
. absolute retTenchment all along the
line.
I appeal 10 the intelligence of the peo-
pie TO their love of country To their love
/ Of home 10 rise up in their manhood
/ and defend themselves against this
} another form of human bondage. in
! conclusion we recommend that public
/ notice be given Of all contracts about
10 be let so that any citizen desiring
/ 10 be heard may have an opportunity.
, and that after any contract has been
/ agreed to thirty days shall elapse be-
fore the same Is ratified. In this way
| we believe many abuses viii be aVerted
/ that has Crept in in the past.
We recommend that the best legal
/ ability be retained I at the least maxi
mum COST TO inquire into existing con-
/ tracts with the city and ascertain
| whether or not new contracts could
( be made on more equitable terms We
4 recommend the formation Of a Citizens
! league with power L. inquire into any
/ or all matters pertaining to the welfare
Of the city or county and that they he
I rendered all possible assistance in the
! prosecution Of their work 10y the city
/ and county officials.