The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-30


A few years ago, shortly after the
Santa Fe had acquired the line which
let it into Galveston, at the solicitation
of its management, the editor of the
Eagle visited Galveston for the purpose
Of comforting with the representatives
of the Morgan line of steamships and
with the owners and managers of the
Galveston wharves, with reference to
a proposition Of direct shipments be
tween Wichita and South Kansas
points and New York City. 1t was
found that there would be a saving of
from two TO five days time, on car
load consignments, as against the all
rail service to New York The very
first consignment for Wichita had not
been transferred from the New York
pier 10 the steamer before the trans
continental combine or railway freight
| rate fiXerS, or at least the eastern mem
berS of it, had notified the Santa Fe
management that the thing could not
and would not be permitted.
| lit 1ODthd "a Dltdl, W HUI III dll IbS
history never before the late annul-
ment of the Gulf grain rate, dared
open its mouth in protest, or in even
dared 50 much as a criticism of Kan
sas railway Arrangements, now in the
! way OF an after apology, or the like,
! for what it said last week, declares
! that it has the word of the Kansas
| roads to the effect that they themselves
are wholly responsible for the forcing
or routeing of all Kansas grain via
| Kansas City. Had We not even pub
| lished the official report of the action
! taken by the Kansas City lines and the
representatives of eastern roads which
! led up 10 the withdrawal of the rate,
we would not have believed any such
| twaddle. The Rock Island nor the
Missouri Pacific nor the Santa Fe, nor
all combined, can even put the water
melon product of this single county
! into northern markets, except at such
a rate fixed by the combine as knocks
all the profits ont of the product for
| the farmer. Presidents, directors,
general managers nor owners have
anything TO say about the rate com
modify shall pay in freight
But we do not purpose TO go into an
explanation or elucidation of the trans
pOrtatiOn question and of the way rates
are fixed. at this time. Our only desire
was and is to protest against Il policy
that in begSaring and belittling the
state, crippleS the earnings of the rail
ways. which railways can never be-
come dividend-paying roads in the alb
scnce of Il general growth and pros
perity of the state, but which lines of
railway Will ever remain in the soup,
one recoiverShip succeeding another
until government control or ownership,
or the like. is forced. Kansas should
not be charged more per ton per mile
on shipping in one direction than in
another Wichita and Southern Kan
saS should not be compelled in shipping
grain 10 Galveston 10 ship via Kansas
City'S tolling- elevators and docking
grading-rules. no more should Wichita
in shipping coffee, sugar, fruits and
the like from Galveston be compelled
to have them hauled first to Kansas
City. or To pay for such extra haul.
which amounts to the same thing. and
which is what We have 10 do. In
sending meats 10 the Rocky mountain
mines We should not be compelled to
pay by the way Of Kansas City, or
even the Kansas City rate, no more
should we pay for Pacific coast pro
ducts the rate through To Kansas City
and the local rate in addition back.
But this i substantially the way the
thing is done, done by roads which we
have helped TO build, and done 10 the
everlasting disadvantage of the state,
under which rule future commercial
growth. or marked material develop
ment of the state, becomes an impoS-
siGility. The protest il this conuec-
ton. of the present Kansas board of
railway commissioners, ike the nice
seIf-congraularory talk of the Topeka
Capital. does not amount 10 50 much
As the eructation Of j cracker-fed dog
in a whirlwind.
Legislatures can do little. and ever
do less. IfiU were otherwise We would
favor an extra session. quicker. As one
tenth of a cent per buShel On the grain
raised last year would pay the expenses
of 4 legislative session of a years dura-
ton.
The Topeka Capitals talk Of an Of
fetal appeal TO the Interstate Railway
Commission is but eye-duSt and twad-
die Wichita has been before that
board with proofs OF the most grieviouS
ourrageS. That board was devised by
congress rs 4 wall between itself and
an indignant people. In serving The
railroads il relieves congress from the
tIiSdsrctablo duty of compelling its pas-
rou.zinG friends 10 be- just TO their con
SIiIuenJS. The tirSJ case ever brought
by Wichita before that commission
was the san Francisco sugar rate.
which compelS the jobber here 10 pay
the rate from san Francisco through
go 81 Louis not only. but an additional
local rate from Kansas City back Ia
Wichita. The commission found that
once upon a time" an cd Saller-tub
delivered via the Horn, a cargo OF
sugar IN New YorA. which was laid