The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-12
FARMER DEAN TALKS
He PREDICTS THAT FARMERS WILL
DO THEIR DUTY.

Pc Points On. why the Building of Big
Elevator at Wichita WIN Redon6d to
the Interest of Every Farmer In the
County-He Says That Farmers are a
Little slow, But when They Move
Something has Got to Come-He Incl
deutaIIy Discusses Freight Rates and
Alleges That the Solution is at Hand.
The elevator committee was visited by
more farmers yesterday than al any
time since the elevator project has been
on foot, and they were all satisfied that
the move was a right one and in the
right direction. Among the farmers
who were present was Ike Dean OF
Waco township, and he not only agreed
TO subscribe stock, but to assist the com
mittee in laying the matter before the
farmers OF the county. In converse
ton with a reporter for the Eagle. Ike
said:
This is a farmers move. They are
the class to be benefited by the estab-
lishment of an elevator in Wichita II
is the man who raises the grain that
pays the freight and not the man who
buys the grain. AS far as ! am per-
sonally concerned / raise but little
grain for sale. I buy grain every year.
but 1 realize that if the farmers secure
rates whereby they can make money
instead OF losing money by raising
grain that I will be benefited.
"Supposing that Wichita is made a
basing line for freight tariffs, the same
as Kansas City, does ii not follow that
other freight rates will be reduced to
correspond. When Kansas City be-
came the dumping ground for the pro-
ducts of Kansas il was when she was
able to go 10 the railroads and say we
have so much tonnage, provided you
accord US rates and the railroads bid
to handle the grain. What was the re-
suit? The city at the mouth of the
Kaw secured live stock rates, and to-
day, Notwithstanding the fact she is
great distance from the Kansas coal
fields she receives her coal at less than
one-half the price which must be paid
by the consumers of Sedgwick county.
'It does not stop there, but notwith-
standing the fact that Kansas City is
a greater distance from the gulf than
Wichita yet she was a rate so muc4
more advantageous than Wichita thai
goods shipped from the gulf to Kansas
City which pass through Wichita are
laid down there for almost one-half
the cost Of what it would be TO stop the
same car al Wichita-225 miles shorter
hanl.
Wichita and her merchants have
fought these discrimina tons for years
and yet the dea tn dance has gone merri-
ly on, and the farmers have paid the
price of the fiddlers. Now l see that
change can be made and will be made
provided that Wichita can be made
basing line. This she can never do IN
less she is made the center for some GER
tain kind of product. Shipping grain
by the carload or by the ten carlos-
will never secure rates, but let the city
be able 10 say TO the export companies
at the gulf there is now 1000 900 bushels
of grain at Wichita awaiting shipment
does il not follow that each of the roads
terminating at the gulf will be anxious
TO handle that grain and by and
With the aid of the buyers at the termi-
nal point in need of the grain a higher
bid will be made.
Suppose that a firm in Kansas City
should write to me and offer so much
for carload of hogs provided I would
deliver them by a certain time. Could
I not afford 10 pay five men. or one man
having the required number a better
price than could fifty men having the
required number.
Suppose that st. Louis had fought
Kansas City as unjustly as Kansas City
has fought Wichita, and the former
city had not made its efforts 10 concen-
trate the grain at their elevators, where
would Kansas City be today?
81 know another thing and that is the
farmers are in better shape today In
Sedgwick county than they have been
at any time within the past six years.
They have the majority of last years
crop on hand. and they are not going to
sell it at loss if they can help them
selves. Why should wheat or corn be
worth cents a bushel more in Kansas
city than il is in Wichita when we are
nearer deep water than Kansas City?
1t is because Kansas City has elevators
and is able to concentrate large
amounts OF grain at one place, which
forces railroads TO give them lower rates |
basing point privileges and railway ar
rangement-tust what we want al WITCH |
ita, and what we viii get If this eleva- !
tor is built. Three TO ) cents a bushel |
on the grain raised In Sedgwick county |
IS no ordinary consideration. Three 10 |
3 cents bushel may mark the differ |
ence between success and failure.
''If IL costs Is cents bushel 10 produce |
corn and you sell il for II cents a bushel |
you are operating at loss and viii fail |
II you sell il at IL or 10 cents a bushel /
you are making q profit of from to /
cents bushel and viii succeed. So IL |
is a question OF vital Importance TO the /
farmers and people OF this county. Il I