The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-05
KANSAS crrY,s GALL.

The Eagle twice within week or
two. called attention to the howl going
up from the grain mixing. grading and
docking combine at the kaws mourh
over the fact that, for once, ana AFTER
years Of fleeing, the farmers or han
sas were being given an opportunity 10
reach primary markets direct without
the Intervention of the Missouri eieva-
tor syndicate and TO the Illuminating IN
cident that this Missouri town was ap-
pealing to the Kansas railway COM
missioners to come to their relief with
some kind Of an order which would
consign all Kansas grain to the re-
billing and scaling process OF that
greedy crowd.
1t seems now that this Missouri out
fit seeing hundreds of thousands of
bushels going directly to market from
Kansas and their appeal having gone
unheeded. they go to Kansas City Kan
through whose city council another ap-
peal is made. The following circular
very lucidly sets forth the situation,
which reaches us from the hands OF a
private gentleman and which is worth
reading:
Through the Kansas City, Kansas.
city council the grain dealers of Kan
sas City, Missouri, have appealed to
the state board of railroad commits
sioners to restore to them the oppor-
tunity To levy tribute on the farmers of
his state. In making an emergency
grain rate to Chicago. Galveston and
New Orleans, 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 gain now stops at Kansas
City to be re-sold in the eastern and
southern markets, the farmers ship
ping their products direct, thereby saw
ing the commission which the dealers
in Missouri have been eXactlng. As
a result farmers are now receiving as
much more for their grain as the rail
roads have reduced the freight The
railroads have profited by increased
movement In grain and are hauling as
much as they can get cars TO carry.
While the farmers are reaping the bene
fit of the reduced freight rates they are
also saved the elevator charges which
they were compelled to pay In ship
ping their grain to Kansas City and
from there to be forwarded to the pri-
mary markets. Now the middle men
appeal to the railroad commissioners to
force reduction in the local rates To
Kansas City to correspond with the re-
duction on the through rate, that they
may again collect commissions and
elevator charges from Kansas farmers
and shippers. A reduction OF grain
rates locally is of no advantage to the
producer, for the market price is regu-
lated 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 pro-
duct TO the producer, for the price at
Kansas City is the Chicago price, less
the freight and commissions of the
middle men there. If it goes directly
to Chicago, Galveston or New Orleans
there is no Kansas City commission
and elevator charges to be taken from
the farmers pockets. To concede the
demands of the Kansas City dealers
would be to reduce the price of corn at
Kansas points. 1t is not likely that the
commissioners will become n party
to this scheme of the people at the
mouth of the Kaw To collect tolls from
the farmers by ordering a reduction
in the local rate to correspond with the
through emergency rate"