The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-29
REFORM is NEEDED
IN The OPINION OF THE NATIONAL
BOARD OF TRADE.

Freight Rates are Also Considered, To
the Light of the Skinning the Farmer
Gets and Which the Large Shipper
Doesn't Get-The Gear and Anti-ScaIp-
Ing BilIs-Christian Endeavor Rates
Railway News.
Washington, Jan. 2S-The National
Board of Trade at its meeting today
read the report of the committee on pos
tai reforms, in which special attention
was called TO irregularities Of the pres
ent rates of postage. The actual cost of
letter postage was shown to be 9o cents
per pound; of fourth-class matter J5.5
cents per pound, of third-class 1S.1 cents
per pound and of second-class 1920 &C a
rent. The committee had held confer
ences with Chairman Loud of the house
postoffice committee and others. Mr..
Loud, the report said, had agreed with
the committee that it was nothing short
pf an outrage that the people of the
country should be charged $40,000,0cG d
gear more than the cost of handling
their letter mail. The report concluded
with resolution to the effect that while
losses on second-clasS postage are S2oO,-
DOC; as it was never intended that BOOKS
should be carried al / cent pound, and
as the present evssions threaten an adj
vance OF postage for bonafide newspa-
pers and compel the payment OF double
rates on letters, the Loud bill should be
passed as the most practicable means OF
reform. The resolution was adopted.
The committee was instructed to appear
next Saturday before the senate COM
mittee having the Loud bill in charge.
The reduction and readjustment Of pos
tai rates on a basis Of l cent for letters
was approved
Mr.. E B. Thurber of New York made
the report on transporta ion. He quoted
from the report of the interstate COM
merce commission to the effect that TIE
railroad business of the country has sUf-
feTed in the past year as never S9fnre.
From the same source Mr.. ThUToeT PRE-
scented a statement from a witness that
In thiTty-five years experience with ship
ping in the west he had never hncNn
fair treatment for the farmers. They
were always discriminajcd against N
favor of the large shippers. There is
corn crop of 240 600, 900 bushels this year
0S96) 1t was asserted tnat when the
farmers have been compelled to sell and
the crop is in the hands OF large SHIP
pers. reduced rate Will !'e given end
the crop will move. The farmer, The
witness quoted said, is made 10 Jay 13
cents a bushel to haul com 20 miles
while the big shippers are given rate
Of cents a bushel g Chicago, from
three to four times far.
Il tell you" continued the witness,
s'this is what is making anarchists west
OF the Mississippi river.
Mr. Thurber said railroad managers
were in favor of correcting this abuse
but the only possible way was 10y pool
ing. This, however, was forbidden ty
the interstate commerce law. TIE
boards committee, Mr.. Thurber said,
was decided on the subject Of an amend
n1ent to the law permitting pooling. a
majority, however, favored ii. After
long and spirited discussion of the sub
ject. the recommendation of The commit
tee favoring an amendment u the inter
state commerce act so rs 10 authorize
pooling of railways under the suporvis-
ion and direction OF the interstate COM
merce commission was voted down I'M
der the two-thirds rule, tee hoard being
nearly equally divided on the subject.
The committee on waterways made a
report recommending that congress be
asked Immediately to maze a Sufficient
appropriation TO close the crevaSse in
Pass L'Outre for the purpose Of main
tanning a channel through the jetties at
the mouth of the Mississippi river; $50
that the government he asked 10 aid the
development of internal waterways ard
their ocean connections, and to provide
literally for coast defelses. The repcrt
was adopted.
Mr.. Tucker was re-electod secretary.
Mr.. Stewart Patterson of Philadelphia.
the president of the ,ate INDIANAPOLIS
monetary convention, oriefiy addressed
the board, urging the members to use
every proper means ia their lower TO
bring about the reforms IN the currency
on the lines suggested b. the Indenap-
oils convention.
The session adjourned 10 meet again
In Washington liz December ext.
PACIFIC RAILROADS.
Washington, Jan. 2S.-The suh-com-
mittee of the house committee en- Ia
ciflc railroads decided today 10 recon-
mend Senator Gears bill for commits
son 10 settle the Indebtedness TO the gov-
eminent of the Pacific roads. The bill
is substantially the one proposed by Rep
resentative Harrison of Alabama and
makes the secretaries of the treasury
and interior and the attorney general.
the commission. The subcommittee
added an amendment TO have the com
mission report to congress within che
year after the passage of the act.
ANTI-SCALPING BILL.
Il. II.
mittee on interstate commerce today
heard arguments upon the bill nitro
Guced b. Senator Cullom to amend the
interstate commerce act SO as 10 prevent
ticket scalpinC. George NJ Mckenzie
representing the ticket brokers, made
the opening argument against the meas
Hre. He went into an elaborate discus
sion OF the subject. saying that the bin
was not in the interest Of commerce. He
IL s-l -
ness Is founded upon fraud lie said
tnat there We're 500 men IN one associs-
ton and $50 in another He claimed
that the brokers were necessary % the
weaker lines, who could NOT get any
business under traffic agreements.
Senator Cullom asked if the brokers'
business did not violate the Interstate
law in allowing discrimination aga .nst a
large portion o. tire public and ala rot
assist roads 10 violate the law when
they so desired. 10 which Mr. McKenvia
replied that he thought mis- business pre-
vented discrimination.
Asked as 10 fraudulent tickets he Ia;i
that no frauds had been traced to The
door Of the association. Mr.. McKenzie
CRITICIZED the report Of the interstate
commerce commission. which prouo;1ae-
"a the brokerage business g public evil
ana violation OF the interstate COM
MERGE law. '-'i
Mr. Carter asked if it was not not,ri-
ous thai certain roads sold large
amounts of tickets 10 brokers al much
tess than the tariff rates and by them
they were sold to the general nubl;r
MI Mckenzie admitted that this was
true, but not SO much as formerly.
In reply 20 several questions on .b,s
subject he said the business was carried
on 10y rebates being paid at the end Of
the route. Replying 10 a question nv
Nr. Culiom, he said that the law sbouI5
first be changed by providing that a com
mission af the crnA.ar ~. S-n.,,-s -.