The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-31
SHE GETS THE RATE
WICHITA WINS HER LONG FOUGHT
BATTLE FOB JUSTICE.

hdifoads nave Determined to Give the
Rate on Agricultural Implements Or
dered by Commissioners--Mr. Douglass
Tells How 1t Was DOnc--Wichita Mer-
chants Will Only Fight tho Railroads as
a Last Resort--It Means Increased BUSH
ness and More Big Implement Houses
Why Justice Was Not Sooner Done.
Wichita has been given another step
forward in her march TO commercial
supremacy. The various railroads
centering in this city have agreed to
put in what is known as the agricultur-
al implement rate.
The railroad commissioners some
time ago decided that Wichita was en-
titled to this rate but the receivers of
the Santa refused to put it in and this
gave the other roads a chance to ig-
more the orders Of the commissioners.
Kansas City is recognized as the
largest agricultural depot not only in
the west but in the world. There is no
other town anywhere that handles SO
much farm machinery.
Kansas City was able to secure rates
on the various railroads that prac-
tically gave her monopoly on the en-
tire southwest. Wichita implement
men asked for Just rate but UP to the
present time they have been unable
to get 1t.
The numerous houses here handling
agricultural implements are showing
great activity and will Immediately lay
in large stocks. 1t is stated by some
of the implement men that other large
houses will now come to Wichita and
compete for the trade of Western Kan
sas, Oklahoma and Texas.
This settlement of the rate business
is considered to be the result of the ac-
ton of the city council. The council
employed Hon. George L. Douglass to
look after this matter and to represent
the city.
Instead Of commencing a number of
suits as many supposed Mr.. Douglass
would do, he went to the headquarters
of the various roads and presented the
claims OF Wichita to these rates.
The receivers of the Santa Fe were
induced to consider the matter and the
result was that Wichita got what she
asked for. This does not give the
dealers here an advantage over Mis-
souri, river towns but 1t does give them
an even show in the race.
Mayor Cox has given Mr.. Douglass
all the assistance possible in the matter
L
results will soon follow of advantage
to Wichita and this entire section of the
country.
The Santa Fe receivers have signified
their willingness to consider the coal
and lumber rate. This Will require some
little time but Mr.. Douglass is confident
that whenever all the facts are pre-
scented to the receivers. that Wichita
will receive a just rate on coal and lum-
Der.
The agricultural implement dealers
are jubilant and other business men are
pleased over the result because they
consider that every recognition of the
rights of Wichita is one step in the di-
rection of wiping out the last discrimi-
nation in railroad freights that has SO
long hampered the trade of this city.
The men in Wichita who are most in
tereSted in railroad rates and suffer
most from determinations are desirious
of settling all the matters with the rail-
roads amicably if possible, and only as
a last resort will the matter ever again
be taken to the courts.
Wichita is now a distributing point
for a large section of country and the
men engaged in wholesale business are
too closely related to the railroads to
derive any profit from a constant
warfare with these now indispensable
adjuncts of commerce.
"A NIlOleSdlt man Sdlu
niught: I'VE do not want any fight
with the railroads. We will not have it
so long as it can be avoided. There is
no money in fighting as long as wrongs
are bearable."
This same wholesaler in speaking Of
the implement rate said that Wichita
had been shamefully disseminated
against in this matter and he consider
ed that the people had patiently born
it so long that the railroads were them
selves ashamed of the way they have
treated us and only wanted a reason
able excuse to right the wrong.
a talk with some of the men inter
ested in the implement rade ELECTED
the information that these men do not
blame the railroad companies entirely
for some of the Determinations. Ii
seems that whenever any of the roads
signify a willingness to give Wichita a
rate that the Missouri river towns at
once threaten a boycott on eastern
freightS.
1t was explained in this way: Sup
pose the Santa Fe should intimate a
willingness to give Wichita a fair rate
on coal Then Kansas City, for in
stance, would say to that road, you
give Wichita a coal rate and we will
give you no packing house products or
grain from Kansas City to Chicago.
This was given to show that Wichita
must fight her own battles and that is
what she seems to be doing just now.