People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-04-02
The New Rates.

The railroads have issued a new
rate sheet effective April l, restoring
the old q cent rate to Galveston and
New Orleans and raising the Kansas
City Galveston rate to 20 cents. But
to credit a prominent grain shipper
in Wichita, Mr.. H. Herzer, inter,
viewed by the Eagle, it is case of
"now you see it and now you don't"
He says;
"YOu have probably not gotten on
to the kinks in this rate business.
Through an arrangement of rebilling
at Missouri river points, corn from
this territory can be billed into Kan
saS City at local rates and rebilled
from there to any of the export points
at balance Of Tie through rate and
at points such as Hutchinson and
Kingman not intermediate between
Kansas City and Galveston or New
Orleans, the rates are from 80 to "a
cents per one hundred pounds to gulf
ports, and as grain from these points
can be shipped via Kansas City on
the basis of the Missouri river rate
which is 20 cents, it would not be
profitable for the Kansas dealers to
ship this grain direct to gulf ports at
the 81 and "a cent rates"
Then, as | understand you, the
% cent rate will not be used out of
Kansas City,"
@ Certainly not. The 20 cent rate
out of Kansas City will meyer be used
as fiat rate. Its only used on paper
for the benefit of the interstate COM
mission aud to fool local dealers"
Then you do not think the new
rates will be of benefit to the Kansas
producers and gulf shippers?"
81 do not. In the first place, the
change was made for the purpose of
correcting the violation Of the long
and short haul and is the result of
the fight which was made by the
Wichita Commercial club. The new
rates, will in fact, be of no benefit to
Wichita or any other point except for
local shipments. The rates from
points not intermediate between
Kansas City and New Orleans or
Galveston, have not been reduced but
are with but few exceptions as high
or higher than the rates named in the
old tariff sheets. Through the pres.
ent arrangement of rebilling, pub
liShed tariff rates Cut bnt little figure,
excepting as maximum rates. Each
of the several lines of railroads in
Kansas have certain favored grain
dealers to handle the Kansas grain.
These grain dealers have been getting
reduction of from to II cents per
one hundred pounds under the
regular established tariff rates during
the past five months, and these favor.
ed grain dealers work in collision
with the railroad companies to kill
of other local grain dealers in order
that 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 respective lines than
other unfortunate dealers who are
attempting to buy grain, and oblie Led
to pay the regular tariff rates. These
favored grain dealers operate in the
interests of Chicago, St. Louis and
Kansas City and are accomplishing
their demands in diverting the grain
from the Galveston port which give:
the lines Of railway the long rail hau
to the eastern ports"
BY the time the people get ready t.
pass or enforce law restraining rail
road extOrtiOD the railroads see theil
way out and have a plan to evade it
1t is about time the people were
opening their eyes tc the fact that thu
only effectual way to control the rail
roads is for the people to own and op-
crate them at cost as they do the pos
tai system.