People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-04-09
RIGHT OF PETITION.
Sumner County Citizens Peti-
ticn the Railroads to Relieve
Them From Extortion.
Some Favor Drastic Procedure By
neutrality-suspicious. 0pposeIt.

y ldlBC uulUGI vi Id lltlo anu JUS
mess men met last Saturday after.
noon at the court house in delegate
convention to take action 10 regard
to freight rates.
After being called to order by the
president of the Commercial Club,
NJ. Y. B. Holmes, the call was read by
the secretary, W. A. Maxey, after
which the meeting was turned over
into the hands of the delegates.
Harmon Straw, Of Seventy-Six
township, was nominated for chair
man by G. W. Bailey. Mr.. Straw de-
Clined.
Mayor Savage nominated Senator
FOrney and he was elected. On TAX
ing the chair Mr.. FOrney said he was
somewhat surprised at being made
chairman of this meeting. He came
merely to assist in agitating this
question. He was very glad to see
the people warming up to the impor-
lance of it. He hoped the cOnven-
ton would declare for legislation in
favor of a maximum rate law.
He announced that nominations for
secretary were in order.
A. A. Richards placed F. H. Thew
in nomination, Mayor Savage named
r. T. Simons.
Mr. SimOnS withdrew and Mr.. Thew
was elected by reclamation.
On motion of A. \. Richards,
amended by R. T. Simons, the base
of representation was enlarged so as
to include all present as delegates
A majority of the thirty townships
iD the county were represented, some
of them quito largely.
Mayor Savage suggested that A. A.
Richards, being the first man to Sug
gest this convention, should be called
upon for an address. Cries CT Rich
ards.
Mr.. Richards came forward. He
renewed the assertion which he had
made in his paper that this question
of discrimination in railroad rates
was paramount to every other Ques-
ton. He then proceeded to show
that grain could be shipped from Sum-
ner county to Kansas City and then
back to Galveston cheaper than we
can ship from here direct. The same
applied to ali commodities. 1t was
such meetings as this that influenced
the railroads to act in our favor, as
well as wholesome legislation, both in
state and nation.
The chair read the following resOlu-
tiOn from Galveston:
GALVESTON, TEXAS, April 4, 1896.
Chairman Sumner County Freight Rate Con-
vention, Wellington Kansas:
Galveston sends greeting. Sumner
leads the procession for just rates.
Aroused public sentiment will win.
Tom RICHARDSON.
Gee. H. Hunter was called for, but
declined by calling on Willis X Folks.
Mr.FOlks told the convention some
thing we ought all to have known
long agO-that the northern and west
ern parts of the state had for years
had better rates than we have. He
never had been able to get the general
freight agents to explain this incon-
slstency. He noted also the unfair
ness of raising rates from Mayfeld.
Milan, Argouia and other western
points higher than the Wellington
rate. They ought to have the same
rate to Galveston, eQui-distant, that
they get to Chicago. which they do
not get.
A motion was made by W. R. Saw
age that the chair be instructed to
appoint committee of nine repre-
sentative men to draw up resolutions
representing the sentiments of this
convention.
1t was amended by G. W. Bailey to
make same committee of eight, the
chairman of this convention to be the
ninth member of said committee,
The chair appointed as this com.
mittee; W. R. Savage, A. A. Rich
ards, W. B. COldwell, W. K. Folks
r. I. SimOns, H. f. Harbaugh, J. G
Campbell, J. A. Ray, W. A. Rem.
senator f0rney, who was made ;
member of the committee, called G
W. Bailey to the chair and the com
mittee retired.
Judge Weeds arose and said he hal
been made cognizant of what ails us.
aud wanted to know what WAS III
remedy.
There were loud calls for "Woods,
Woods but he declined.
L. W. johnson. of Jackson town
ship, was called for and responded i
a ten-minute talk. He told the peo
pie that we might petition the raj
roads from now until dooms day, bu
corporations would not be influence
by them. 1t had required twelv
years to frame an interstate CON