The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-31

or GdlVeStOn, nave not been reduced Dul
are with but few exceptions as high OF
| higher than the rates named in the old
| tariff sheets. Through the present ar
rangement of rebilling, published tariff
| rates cut but little figure; excepting as
| maximum rates. Each of the several
lines Of railroads in Kansas have GER
| tain favored grain dealers TO handle the
Kansas grain. These grain dealers have
been getting reduction of from 8 to /:
| cents per one hundred pounds under the
regular established tariff rates during
the past five months, and these favored
| grain dealers work in collision with the
railroad companies to kill off other local
grain dealers in order tht they may
have no competition. By reason of the
special rebate which these favored
grain dealers have, they are enabled to
pay higher prices for grain on their re-
spective lines than other unfortunate
dealers who are attempting to buy
grain, and obliged to pay the regular
tariff rates. These favored grain deal
ers operate in the interess Of Chicago
st. Louis and Kansas City and are ac-
cOmplishing their demands in diverting
the grain from the Galveston port which
gives the lines of railway the long rail
haul TO the eastern ports"
GOES FOR RAILWAYS.
''The charges you are making are
very grave, can you substantiate the
statement"
81 can substan tate every word Of Il
I do not consider that the railway COM
panies are any better than any other
law breakers. They are violating the
law every day and do 1t with iTnpunity.
The seven millions of dollars shortage
which appeared between the Topeka
and Boston accounts which you proba-
bly, heard of some time ago, was the cor
ruption fund which had been used to
buy legislation and pay rebates to the
favored shippers. The corruption fund
used by the Atchison company during
the past few years would build and pay
for a road from one end Of the state to
the other, and the Kansas producers
must pay for it Some years ago the
Missouri Pacific road was put up and
sold at auction TO the highest bidder. J.
Gould bought il for seven million dol
lars, assuming that it was public in
stitution, established for public use, he
was entitled to a reasonable income for
the amount he paid for il and should
not have been allowed more, but ne was
not satisfied with that, he Immediately
reorganized the corporation with a cap
ital stock of about fifty million and
Thirty million dollars. So that the peo-
pie who were compelled to use the great
throughfare are paying on watered
stock of about seventy-three million
dollars, while they should only be com
PEELED to pay a reasonable compensation
on an investment of seven million dol
lars. The Union Pacific presents an
other case of careful railroad manage
ment Gould and Hatch wrecked this
road twice in order to defraud the
United States government out of fifty
million dollars furnished by the govern
ment to build this line, besides millions
Of acres in land grants. Stanford,
Croker and others manipulated the
Central Pacific, all of whom are multi
millionaires, yet the road is bankrupt
and the government is in a fair way Of
losing the amount of money furnished
to build the line. And last, but not least,
comes Huntington with the Southern
Pacific; he is reported to be worth sixty
million dollars, yet his road is in the
hands of a receiver and (using the
language of the mayor Of San Fran
cisco, he has never been known TO steel
a hot stove. This railroad king is now
in Washington with powerful allies and
his money attempting to beat the gov
eminent out of its claim for money fur
nished to build his road, which he is in
fair way of doing. These are only a
few cases of honest railroad manage
ment, and ought TO satisfy your mod
esty about honest railroad companies"
SUGGESTS A REMEDY.
''What would you suggest as a rem
edy?''
I'm the first place, as to grain ship
ments, would suggest that every local
grain dealer who has been discriminate
ed against, commence action against
the railway companies. The interstate
commerce law fully covers these viola
tions, and if cases are brought before
the United States court they will be
able to convict the violators and secure
judgments for DANA ges.'
What further action would you sug-
gest for securing reasonable freight
rates in this slater"
1.-The people in self-denfense in all the
states west of the Missouri river should
organize, each state should cell a con-
vention FOR the purpose of forming per-
manent freight bureaus and n cam
paign should be made On the freight rate
question. The only satisfactory adj
justmant of the freight rates question
is a reasonable rate per ton per mile
from all points, based on the short mil
age. And, if the long rail haul lines
desire to participate in the business let
them haul on the basis of the short mil
age. and nothing else Will satisfy the
people. The people should organize at
once so that they will be in position to
look after the legislators who will be
elected this fall"
THE railroad companies will probab-
ly buy UP the legislature, do you think?"
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
"Now, that the railroad companies
have voluntarily adjusted the long and
short haul the Commercial club will
probably not prosecute the case fur
Their"
II cannot say as to that. It is my
understanding, however, that the COM
plant filed with the interstate COM
merce commission also charged unreal
sonable excessive freight rates and dis
crimination in favor of certain localities
as against central Kansas points"
''Will the Commercial club make the
call for the convention as outlined in the
Eagle sometime ago"
Il understanding that they have been
waiting on the action OF the arbitrators,
Faithorn and Howe, and on the assur-
ance of the railway companies that as
soon as their decision was received
they would put in new rates which
would adjust the grain rate question
satisfactory TO the Kansas producers
What are your views on the elevator
question:"
Wichita is the railroad center and
the natural grain center for central and
western grain. The people of Wichita
should make every effort TO secure a
large grain elevator here. This would
establish a grain market and bring with
II q large amount Of capital as we'll as
other business"
The following letter was received yes
terday by the editor Of the Eagle, which
is self-explaining: