The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-07
PEOPLE OF KANSAS AROUSED
MIR. ID. G. Imboden Talks to the Galveston
Tribune About Grain Rates, Etc.

MT. -. y. lmDoden Talks to the Galveston
Tribune About Grain Rates, Etc.
Galveston, Tex, April 6.-The Calves
ton Tribune has the following:
Mr.. d. C. Imboden of the Galveston
Grain Export Commission company,
who has been in Kansas for the past
three weeks investigating the grain sit
uation, returned to the city yesterday
and when seen by reporter for the Tri-
bune this morning and piled with vaTi-
Gus questions concerning grain rates.
movement, prospects Of planting, senti-
ment of Kansas, ETC., he had the follow
ing to say:
THE rates awarded by the arbitrators
and as applied by the railroads leave
the situation practically what il has
been since January 20, and such apDli-
cation seems to have been made with
the view to a division of the business.
1 can't see that Galveston has received
any benefit through the alleged differ
entails. The Santa Fe rate on corn TO
Galveston from Kansas City is % cents
and closer to Galveston the rates run
something lower, with the rates to New
Orleans taking the differentials spoken
Of. But the Missouri Pacific tariff
makes a rate of q cents from Kansas
City to New Orleans and from the
It
lower than 20 cents to Galveston the
Missouri Pacific's rate to New Orleans
is precisely the same. At none of the
Missouri Pacific points is the rate to
New Orleans greater than is the Santa
Fe's rate to Galveston.
There is very little corn moving,
however, and in my opinion little will
move this season. The farmers are not
willing to sell save at an advance over
present prices. This year they got about
5 cents a bushel more for their corn be-
cause of Galveston's competition than
they would have gotten otherwise. In
1889, when they produced a big crop, al
though corn was 1 cent per bushel high
er in Chicago than it was when Calves
ton entered the market, the market at
the beginning of the present season they
got but 10 to 13 cents buShel for their
corn. This year, with corn lower in the
Chicago market. because of Galveston
competition, they got from 16 to II cents
per bushel. When the rates were raised
and they were cut off from Galveston
and the matter was referred to the arbi-
traitors they hoped that the lower rates
would be restored; they refused to sell.
believing that the railroads would re-
duce the rates in order to move the
grain In the meantime, they have crib
bed their corn and since the rates have
not been reduced they are disposed to
hold 1T. They remember that they
made a big crop in 1889, which they sold
for 10 cents a bushel; they remember
that the crop of 1890 was failure, and
that they paid 40 cents for corn shipped
in from other states. They figure that
the same thing may be repeated and
that it will be wise for them TO hold
what they have now cribbed against
such contingency, and that in any
event they can get about as much for
the corn next fall even if large crop
is produced, as they can now, and that
it is extremely unlikely that the crop of
the United States in 1896 will approx
mate that of 1895 Besides, they are now
busy with farm work and will not take
the time to market corn unless at an adj
vance of at least cents a bushel over
present prices.
The people of Kansas are wrought
up over this grain rate problem, that
have had a taste of the benefits of deep
water at Galveston, and they are de-
sirous of having a continuance of the
same. There is every reason that they
should be, as transportation is the main
item in grain In cotton, with transport
tation representing but about 10 per
cent of the value of the whole. a change
in rates makes but a slight difference. In
corn, with transportation now repre-
senting 60 per cent of the whole, trans
portatfon is all important. 1 found the
people around Wichita so wrought up
over the situation that they were max
ing the matter a political issue, demand
ing that 1t be incorporated in the politi-
cal platforms, and vowing that they
would vote for no man not pledged to
the securing of lower rates to the gulf.
They also averred that if the railroads
would not deal fairly with them in this
matter, they would take steps 10 have
the passenger rates within the state re-
duced to cents a mile.
Il told these people that I did not
think they were proceeding properly in
taking the matter into politics; that
they could not hope TO cope with the
influences which would be brought to
bear on the opposite side in political
battle, nor expect to succeed through
or in congress. l told them
that they should deal with the matter
in a business way, and 1 suggested the
creation of a market, concentrating an
elevator point within the grain elds. |
and nearer 10 the gulf than is Kansas |
City.
ITO digress from this for a moment |
Under the rates which prevailed prior 10 |
January 20. corn was moving 10 Calves !
ton in large quantities, and was being !
diverted from the eastern lines. BY re- /
quest Mr.. Denison and myself went TO |
Kansas City after the restoration Of |
the old rates. We found that the JOB |
bing and packing interests were COM |
planning OF a loss trade in Kansas. ocCa-
stoned by the drop in the price Of corn |
due TO the advance in rates 10 the gulf. /
They contended that Kansas City could |,
not afford 10 be a party - anything /
which would advance the rates 10 the 4
farmer, while the grain men took the |
opposite view. and Commissioner Van !
landingham was between two fires in /
tying to satisfy the conflicting interests. !
We were asked 70 have Galveston join /
hands with Kansas City. where low 1
rates could be obtained upon II 70 the /
gulf. and We Immediately asked II Kan 4
sas City would aid US in obtaining such 4
rates and a differential in favor Of Gal /
weston with respect 70 New Orleans.