The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-28

| NeSLOn IMAM IIfc DedIcSJ VI tit OC4Cl
jobbing points along the Missouri river
So fragrant was the violation of sec
ton of the interstate act, so unjus
and outrageous the discrimination thai
the interstate commerce commission
swept aside the old threadbare defense
| that the Missouri river is or ever was
a navigable stream, and ordered that
the said roads charge Wichita no high
er rate than is charged by these roads
to the more distant Missouri river
points. And by the way, one of the
| two boats built by Kansas City and
the railways, for the purpose of sus-
tanning that stream as a basing-line,
was long since transferred to the Mis-
sissippi. where it took fire and burned
up. The other lies at the bottom of
the Ohio. Neither of them were ever
as efficient as would have been an old
time Mexican bull-team of oxen for the
transportation of goods.
However. under the decision men
toned, which was simply an order that
the railways complained of immediate
| ly reconstruct their tariffs 20 Wichita
on an equitable basis so as TO conform
to the plain provisions of the law, for
the first time in years the traffic mana
gers Of these roads were afforded a
fair and honorable opportunity TO do
the right thing for Wichita, by wiping
out the glaring inconsistencies and out
and at the same time to be protected
in their action against the retributive
actions and reprisalS of opposition
lines and allied connections. The
writer fully appreciates the pressure
which can be brought through a vast
volume of un-routed tonnage, and how
such has been heretofore employed as
a whip; but here was an opportunity
for doing the right thing by Wichita,
and which demanded no explanation,
was susceptible of no argument, but a
clear ruling from the highest authority
on freights in the land. Under these
favorable circumstances and chances
what have these roads done? Instead
of obeying they have evaded. Instead
Of making good their professions of
friendship for this city, and their claim
of desire to conserve the business in
tereSts and TO build up the tonnage at
this point, they deliberately abandon
the entire traffic covered by that order,
50 far as the Missouri points are con-
cerned. to the other roads. In other
words instead Of giving Wichita the
Kansas City rate, they put the Kansas
City rate up to the Wichita rate, there
by abandoning the traffic or transfer
ing such Gulf traffic for the Missouri
river points, TO the other roads, which
still haul it at the old rate. This is
the railroad way Of quietly acquiescing
in the decision and in upholding the
majesty of the law. In other words
the rates to Kansas City remain as
low as formerly and the rates 10 Wich- /
tia as high, and unchanged by this
voluntary surrender of the two roads /
which profess TO be honest and fair, |
and which have claimed that the only |
reason they did not give Wichita an
equal showing was because their con- +
Meeting lines would not permit it. But |
it viii be evident that the Rock Island |
and Santa Fe are not going to abandon |
this tonnage between Galveston and |
the northwest, in the absence Of a /
"quid pro quo" or Of some compensat-
ing equivalent These erStwhile umid (
and kw-abiding corporations do not /
mean 10 lose 4 cent by this transaction, /!
neither do their ferociouS and blood |
thirsty connections intend that they |
shall. And this restitution is to be in |
the shape Of our own tonnage. which
the eastern connections VIII courteous
ly turn over To the santa Fe and Rock
Island, respectively. AZ Chicago. in re-
turn Tor their conSiderate action in
protecting the Missouri river. their
common orphan. by the willing sacri-
fee Of noTth-bound business.
In addition 10 this, the two CON-
panieS, undoubtedly. expect 20 further
themselves for this loss by
partitioninS the tonnage OF the interior
jobberS on the higher rate basis It's
u fortunate thing Tor our business in
tereSts that We have two other avenues.
the Frisco and Missouri Pacific. by the
use of which perSistently and consist
entity our shippers can defeat this con-
bination. Deprived Of participation in
tonnage from the east and denied even
a portion OF the constantly increasing
volume Of business from Gulf ports.
the Rock Island and Atchison will I'M
repent OF their sacrifice OF
Missouri river tonnage. and eager TO