The advocate., 1897-01-20
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view they have not yet abandOnvu-
When, however, congress, IL years ago.
created that subterfuge for justicee
called the interstate commerce commission
It enacted legislation that was supposed by
the people TO be for the purpose Of securing
their rights and controlling these corporations
After II years Of weary waiting, the people are
now told by this commission that the law under
which they we're acting was defective and had
been held by the court of last resort as inoperA-
tive and unconstitutional. Thus after 80 years,
of effort In this direction, we find that practical
ly nothing has been done toward the control OF
corporations. l recommend that the legisla-
ture pass o maximum freight law that will be-
fair to corporations and just TO the people.
believe also that the board OF railroad COM
missioners should be clearly vested
with the powers OF o court, and given
the power TO adjust fares and freight within
the state OF Kansas as they may deem just, and
not exceeding the maxium rate, and that their
powers shall be made definite and certain, but
subject TO appeal TO the supreme court Of the
state. In doing this, think the legislature
should not proceed in any spirit OF retaliation or
revenge for the mlsdeeds OF the corporations In
the past, but they should make their purposes
clear to these corporations that, in the future,
be taken into account, as well as the welfare OF
the corporations and that profits In good times
and losses In bad ones are to be equally shared
between them.
FavOrs the Southern Market.
advise the people Of the state OF Kansas 10
seek for justice out OF court. In doing so, can
only point to one route by which II can be OBJ
tained, and that is for the states west Of the
Mississippi river to build road of their own to
tide-water by the shortest and most direct
route, which will put them in position to COM
mand the situation without getting into any
complication with the railroad companies or
with the federal courts. We have at Calves
ton. now, q harbor that can be entered safely
by the largest ships. The federal governments
has expended 60 600 In creating an outlet In
Galveston bay and providing safe harbor
for q terminal point In order TO get TO
this harbor, there are no mountains to tunnel
and no large rivers to cross and no engineering
difficulties in the way It Is practically plain
upon which road cannot only be built, but can
be operated as cheaply as anywhere In the
world. At the present value OF labor and ma
teral, road can be built for from @, 200 to 6O,-
900 mile and II would be as unjust TO the peO-
pie OF this generation TO ask them TO support q
railroad bonded at $4,000 q mile, as 1t would
have been to the people Of preceding genera
tlon to haul their grain and merchandise on the
turnpike OF that time after they had been par
alleled by railroads
II the states OF Texas and Nebraska would
Join US In the building OF o line to Galveston,
the expense Of building such road would boz
merely nominal when compared with the vast
sums of money that would be saved to the citt-
gems Of these states through the lowering OK
freight rates; In fact, the overcharge above
what is reasonable and fair on grain upon the
crop now existing In the state Of Kansas, WOULD
pay all the charges Of completing such road,
were the state Of Kansas to undertake 1t her.
self. Such q road, when completed, would
place the people of this state In position OF
Independence In the matter Of transportation
so far as the railroad companies and the fed-
eral courts we're concerned, and do not believe
that such move would be injurious to the rail-
road companies In the long run.
The lowered rates OF freight would attract
great and constantly increasing business by
drawing trafic in that direction, and the de-
creased rates at which the railroads would DO
compelled to carry freight would be made up In
the volume OF business. The state Of New
York, by completing the Erie canal and keep
Ing the tolls at low rate, mas
caused the commerce OF the country 20
fiow In that direction so as TO make 1t the great
commercial metropolis OF the country, but this
did not retard the building OF railroads which
do business in competition with It; In fact, the
finest railroad of the world, with four tracks,
was built for the purpose OF competing
with this canal for business. The total
amount OF money expended by the state OF New
York upon the Erie canal. according TO recent
(C0stiMHed on p0ge IL.