Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-11


showers early Sunday morning; cooler in
extreme western portion; north winds.
For Kansas: Fais: slowly rising temper
ature; variable winds.
HI HOT SPELL BROKEN.
After nearly a week of intense heat. dur
ing which there were many fatalities in the
vast area affected. suffering humanity has
been relieved by cool northern breezes.
The comparative comfort of yesterdays
temperature was experienced as far East
as Chicago last night and to-day will
cover most OF the territory where pros
traticns and fatalities a " occurred.
Il has been some years since the coun-
try has endured heat 50 intense and ex-
tersive. The number OF deaths was ex-
oeptionally large, and the continuing con-
ditions had become quite alarming. Even
those who suffered least were solicitous for
their friends and relatives.
Kansas City was more fortunate than
most other large CITES Tie heat at this
point was fatal for aohlg one day although
that days victims apBberefy The de-
lightfnl change OF yesterday and the indi-
cations of to-day are like food to the
famished.
THE PEOPLE ARESNOT COMPLAINING.
Ii has no doubt been noted by Kansas
readers OF The Journal that xery recently
two protests have been filed sgainst Gov
ernor Leedy's nl-considered onslaught Upon
the railroads. What has given these pro-
tests all the more significance and interest
IS the fact that they both came from Popu-
lis. sources and therefore it cannot be
charged that they were inspired by the
cooperation interests.
The first Of them came from the So
the legislature who have grown weary OF
being charged by Governor Leedy with
treason to the PopuIist cause. 1t is said
they Will follow the protest up with an ad-
dress to the Populist party, in which it
will be shown that II there has been
treason to the Abilene platform It was
committed by Lsedy himself when he
vetoed the railroad bill passed by the Popu-
list legislature. Bpt.itE not 50 much to
the internal quarrels Of the Populist party
that attention is attracted as to the state
ment Of fact made by the protesting ire
caicitrants." They declare that there Is
no great demand among the people for
war upon the railroads. They go further
and assert that the real patrons of the
road are not complaining. of extortionate
rates. The greater portion Of the clamor,
they say. comes from politicians who are
seeking the advancement OF selfish ends.
and they leave the very palpable inference
that they refer to Governor Leedy, who is
laying the basis for denomination and re-
election.
The second protest was perhaps not in
terded as such, but II comes with even
greater force because OF its semi-oficial
character. We refer to the newspaper
article recently prepared by r. ". Turner,
secretary OF the Kansas board of railroad
commissioners Mr.. Turner declares that
the board Of which he is an official has not
received any complaints of high or dis
cIiminatory rates from the shippers of
KaLsss during the entire time through
which the present administration has been
il power. This is nothing short OF as
tonishing. in view of the noise proceeding
fcm the politicians. and II means that the
railroads OF Kansas are treating their
patrons with a fairness and liberality never
before edualed in the history Of the state.
This is a board created by the legislature
for the purpose OF hearing complaints and
adjusting differences which may arise be-
tween the roads and the people. and il
nothing has been presented to It during the
six months in which the Populists have
been in power. what other conclusion can
we form except that there IS nothing in
existence TO complain about? II It were
true, as asserted by Governor Leedy, that
the roads were exacting immoderate rates.
must it not also be true that this PopuIist
beard would be fairly deluged with COM
plants? In this connection it must be re-
Numbered that the board is endowed with
ample power to correct determinations and
10 enforce reductions where unfair charges
are made.
These two protests are very good evil
deuCe that the spirit OF fairness which al
ways permeates the American people when
they are not mOmentarily diverted by the
clamor OF -demagogues has resumed its
sway in Kansas. There can be but one
side 70 the railroad question there at this
time. II is a matter Of court record that
the transportation lines have not been max
ing their operating expenses and fixed
charges. Nearly every mile of road within
the state has. very recently. been in control
OF the courts as the result or bankruptcy
on the part OF the owning companies. Much
Of the mileage is still in the hands OF the
court, while its owners are undergoing a
process that viii wreck fortunes and obIt-
crate their investments. Il is not a matter
OK opinion or Of interested testimony that
the roads would be unable to stand the
redic3l reductions proposed by Governor
Leedy. for the litigation through which
they have passed, or are passing. reveals
TO public scrutiny records which esta blish
this fact beyond any possibility OF sue
cessful contradiction. In the light Of these
records any man who sim can clamor for
radical reductions places himself in the
attitude of being willing to confscate rail-
road property and ruin irretrievably the en-
tsrprises which have dom so much for the
upbuflding OF his state. There can be no