People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-01-30
The Advance of the Corn Rate.

The Advance of the Corn Rate.
Our farmers have just had an object
lesson worth thousands Of dollars as
to the advantage Of deep water ports
to the south of US. The most Of our
corn shipped out this season has gone
south. and while the price OF corn to
the consumer has been no higher
than it was in the famous low corn
year Of 1889, the price at shipping
points to southern markets has been
from to cents higher than in 1889.
The Wichita rate to Galveston has
been 28 cents per 100 pounds, making
the average price of corn in southern
Kansas considerably higher than il
exported to the east The natural
consequence has been the shipment
south instead of east, but the eastern
roads, for the purpose Of stealing the
traffic, have managed to force ahigher
north and south rate of 80 cents,
which will 60 into effect Monday.
The effect of this victory Of tie
eastern roads will be loss to the
farmers of several cents on every
bushel of corn. The roads offer no
justification for their robbery Of the
producer. 1t is not claimed that it
costs more than % cents to ship 100
pounds of corn to Galveston, but it is
claimed that corn cannot be shipped
to New York for less than 80 cents
and that to enable eastern roads to
doa part Of the business an exOrbitant
rate must be enlarged TO Galveston, or
the north and south roads will be boy
cotted and injured in their Chicago
business by eastern lines. 1t is SIM
ply hold up of the north and south
roads with eastern connections.
The action Of the traffic association
Is utterly wrong, vicious and out
rageouS. No business proposition
could be more prepOsterOus than the
impudent demand of the eastern
lines for an equal share of traffic
that naturally should 60 to port 900
miles distant instead of a port 1900
miles distant. That the producer
should be prevented from enjoying
the natural advantage Of the shorter
haul is a fragrant example Of the
tyranny of the traffic associations and
brings directly home to the people
the necessity for prompt legislation
restricting the powers Of traffic
associations and prohibiting such
despOtiC use of their rights. 1t ought
not to be difficult matter for the
Republican party, which has made a
good beginning in regulating intel
state commerce, to enact a law that
the producer shall not be buucOed by
the traffic associations into paying
1900 mile rate for 60O-mile haul.
That is all there is in the present
advance Of the Galveston rate and it
Is simply case Of highway robbery, a
robbery of the producer for the benefit
not of the consumer butOf the carrier.
The people of the west in their
efforts to build up southern deep
water ports will have to face the
greed and enormous combined
power of eastern lines Of roads and
they should organize for the battle.
The salvation of the people Of this
section lies in the development Of the
new southern ports. All their in
huence in congress should be used for
such government appropriations as
may be necessary to accomplish this
object. Where they can ship either
east or south at an equal rate they
should ship south and organize and
combine in every way to turn their
trade in the direction Of least resist
aDCe and to defeat the eastern COM
binatiOn against natural outlet for
productions. The better price of corn
during the continuance Of the natur-
al 2S-cent Galveston rate is, as we
said before, great object lesson to
our people and they should consider it
seriously. We practically have now
our gulf harbOr; but we will have to
fight if we. are to enjoy the advantage
Of it.-TOpeka Capital.
What the Forecasts Mean.
In order that it may be universally
understood the meanings Of some o.
Il. - A . L