Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-04-17
WESTERN FREIGHT RATE GRIEv.
ANCEs BEING AIRED.
KANsANs PRESENT IN FORCE.
A ST. LOUIS CASE OCCUPIED THE
- TIME YESTERDAY.
Kansas Gulf Rates Case to BE Taken
Up Next-Governor Leedy Adj
dresses the Interstate Gulf
Rates COnference-LeE-
islature Suspicious.

Austin, Tex, April ls.-fSpeclal) The in
terstate commerce commission opened it's
session here to-day. Two cases are to be
considered at this. meeting. One is the
complaint brought by the Kansas state
board of railroad commissioners against
all the roads leading from that state to the
Gulf of Mexico. This case was heard first
at Kansas City last summer and later at
Chicago. A continuation of the meeting will
be held here. Among the members of the
Kansas delegation are Governor Leedy, ex-
Governor Leweling, u member of the rail-
road commission of Kansas, Hon. w. F.
Brown, Ed Hooking, G. w. johnson and
Judge David Martin, who will present the
case of the commissioners of that state to
the interstate commerce commission.
The other case to be heard by the COM
mission is the complaint of the Business
Mems League, of st. Louis, that there is
too great difference between carload and
less than carload rates to Texas points,
This latter case came on for hearing to-
day. Only two witnesses were examined.
These were Transportation Commissioner
]. B. Denison, of Galveston, and d. c.
Imboden, a Galveston merchant. Their ev-
idence did not tend to show any great dis
elimination in the rates charged on mer-
chandise to Texas points. Commissioner A
]. Vanlandingham, of Kansas City, is here
to represent ST. Louis and also Kansas City
interests before the commission.
Hon. Warwick Saunders, of Columbus,
Neb., brings with him a commission from
Governor Holcomb of Nebraska, to con-
fer with the Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas
delegations in regard to the action to be
taken to secure lower rates on grain from
these states to the Gulf ports. Represent
ative Shannon and other delegates repre-
sent Oklahoma, and a great many Texas
3obbers and grain men are present. A
number of railroad men are also here in
cuding President Ripley and Third Vice
President Morton, of the Santa Fe.
The deep water committee from Kansas
Nebraska and Oklahoma met this morn
ing with a like committee appointed by
Governor Culberson, to discuss ways and
means of securing lower rates on grain
from Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma
points through Texas to the Gulf ports for
export. Governor Leedy, of Kansas, ad-
dressed the meeting, and said Kansas was
in great need of reduced rates on grain
to market. He said there was discrimina-
tion in the freight rates charged in all di-
rections, and proposed in the event Of
| failure to secure relief otherwise, that an
interstate road from Kansas to the Gulf
| be built.
The full interstate commerce commission
| is present. In addition to Colonel w. B..
Morrison, the chairman, there are Martin
| A. Knapp, of New York; Judson c. Glenn
| ent, of Georgia; ]. D. Yeomans. of Iowa,
| and c. A. Prouty, of Vermont. With them
| are Hon. Ed A. Mosley, secretary of the
commission, and John ]. McAuiffe and
Frank Lyons, stenographers.
Friends of A. f. Ripley of New York,
general manager of the Gulf, Colorado &
Santa Fe railroad, who is here on a visit,
| tried to-day to get the courtesies of the
| house extended to him and his party by
means of q resolution. After 1t had been
| debated and wrangled over for two hours,
| 1t was withdrawn.
The members objected to extending the
| liberties of the house to Ripley and his
| road lobbyists and might try to influence
'ms mbers on the fellow servant bill now
| pending in the house.
The committee, after further discussion,
decided to memorialiZe the interstate com.
merce commission to take action looking to
a reduction in freight rates. and adjourned
until tomorrow. The committee also de-
cided to attend the meetings of the inter-
! state commerce commission here in a
| body.
W. f. Brown, Ed Hooking and G. W.
| johnson, representing Kansas, and Mr..
| Shannon, representing Oklahoma, were ap-
| pointed a committee to visit the coast
! meeting of the committees of the different
states in Austin. The report sets out in
detail the railroad facilities of Houston and
| Galveston, and also includes much impor-
.tant data regarding lumber interests. It
states that much benefit would ensue from
Texas regions to the Kansas, Oklahoma
| and Nebraska markets,