The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-08-08

A prominent grain man In speaking
to a reporter for the Eagle last evening
said:
The Commercial club OF Wichita
should send reply to the petition now
on file with the state railroad commits
sioner from the grain dealers at both
Kansas City, Kan. and Kansas City,
No. Not that believe that the petit
ton IL approved by the state railroad
commission would ordinarily have any
effect upon the railroads, but with Kan
sas City the whole thing is different
"At that point they have a traff1c so
ciety and the superintendent Of this as
sociation Is sble TO 60 before the rail-
roads and not ask, but demand certain
concessions and they generally get them
but am glad to see those fellows put
in the sweat-box and the longer they
are kept there the more willing viii they
be to grant concessions when asked
by the Kapsas shippers. They have
taken the Dred Scott decision and ap-
ply il to Kansas interests and say by
their acts that a Kansas shipper has
no rights which they are bound TO res
pect.
Through the Kansas City. Kansas.
city council the grain dealers of Kan
sas City, Missouri. have appealed 10 the
state board OF railroad commissioners
TO restore 10 them the opportunity 20
levy tribute on the farmers or this
state. In making an emergency grain
rate to Chicago, Galveston or New Or
leans, that the remainder OF the old
crop and the growing crop might be
moved to market the railroads did not
reduce the local rate to Kansas City.
The consequence has been that no
Kansas grain now stops at Kansas CITY
TO be re-sold in the eastern and south
ern markets, the farmers shipping their
products direct, thereby saving the com
mission which the dealers in Missouri
have been exacting. As result farm
ers are now receiving as much more for
their grain as the railroads has reduced
freight. The railroads have profited by
increased movement OF grain and are
hauling as much as they can get cars
to carry. While the farmers are reap
ing the benefit of the reduced freight
rates they are also saved the elevator
charges which they were compelled to
pay in shipping their grain TO Kansas
City and from there to be forwarded TO
the primary markets.
Now the middle men appeal to the
railroad commissioners to force re-
duction in the local rates to Kansas
City to correspond with the reduction
on the through rate, that they may gain
collect commissions and elevator char
ges from Kansas farmers and shippers
A reduction of grain rates locally Is Of
no advantage to the producer, for the
market price is regulated by the demand
at the primary market
THE price OF corn In Kansas Is the
price at Chicago. less the freight from
Kansas to Chicago. The rate from
Kansas points to Kansas City in no
way effects the value OF the product to
the producer, for the price at Kansas
City is the Chicago price, less the freight
and commissions OF the middle men
there. If II goes directly to Chicago.
Galveston or New Orleans there Is no
Kansas City commission and elevator
charges to be taken from the farmers
pockets.
ITO concede the demands Of the Kan
sas City dealers would be to reduce the
price Of corn at Kansas points. It Is
not likely that the commissioners viii
become a party to this scheme OF the
people at the mouth OF the Kaw to col
lect tolls from the farmers by ordering
reduction in the local rate 10 CORES
pond with the emergency rate"