The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-01
GOV. LEEpY,s RAILRoAD.
The Committee Issues an Address to
the People.

the People.
The Gulf and Interstate Transporta-
ton committee which has been organ
lied and viii undertake the task of as
sisting Gov Leedy to build that north
and south railroad of his, has issued a
manifesto or an address to the people
ofthe west and south calling upon them
to organize and protect themselves
against the entertainments of corpora
lions, particularly the railroads which
the circular says:
Are owned principally in the east
ana are 50 manipulated as to build up
great centers Of commerce in the east
and prevent the building of similar en-
terprfses in the west leaving in the
main, these great sections of our coun-
try to produce the raw materials for the
factories and the cheap food necessary
to supply the densely populated east
ern centers.'
The circular further declares that
this, in the judgment of the committee
IS wrong and works a great injury to
the country as a whole by forcing IN
natural conditions upon the people and
the time has come when the American
people should adopt a liberal and just
pOI1CX, by ecOgnlZing the United States
as a great family, with all the sections
of our country enjoying equal protec-
ton and equal advantages in trade
commerce and manufacture.
The greatest good to the greatest
number is the true national policy of a
great people, continues the letter.
Under present conditions there are no
certain investments in the west and
south. The investor visits the western
town and finds it prosperous; perhaps
1t has the shops or division offices of
some great railway company and en-
joys advantages in freight rates not
possessed by its neighbOrS. He invests
his money and assists in building the
town, but the company removes after
a time the division to some other point
l76 raj hA ateae- p
lowering them TO some other point
Property drops. as a result, so per cent
in value. and the man who was con-
sidered wealthy yesterday is the bank
rupt of today"
In regard to the distance tariff the
circular says.
rs there any reason why. in sparsely
settled districts the individual should
pay higher freight rates upon his pro-
ducts than he should pay a greater
postage upon his letters? Then why
this discrimination? When a mail route
is established and it does not pay the
operating expenses, the difference is
met by an appropriation from the Uni
ted States treasury, and why not ex-
ercise the same good judgment with
reference with freight rates?
Why punish the individual who is
trying to reclaim nature. build a home
or make a city on the western plains or
mountain districts, by charging exOr-
bitant freight rates on his products?
Should he not. as an incentive to act
ion, have as cheap rates as any other
individual and the loss. if any. be paid
as in the postal service2 If this policy
is proper in the postal service, is it not
proper in the freight service, and if
not Why2'
The manifesto further announces that
the committee is purely a business or
ganization to discuss all economic
questions and revive business in all
parts of the country and in accord with
natural conditions. The great mining
interests of the country must be de-
veloped. The cotton fields of the south
must be provided with factories and
the great grain producing regions of
this commonwealth must be guarded
and a market found for its wheat and
corn at greatly enhanced prices, and
this can be accomplished by building up
trade centers, which will result from
uniform freight rates and by marketing
our export products through the gulf
instead of wasting energy in transport
ing our surplus by way of Chicago to
New York. a distance nearly three
times as great, yet the freight charges
are less by reason of the discrimination
in the interest of eastern cities and
eastern ports as against western cities
and southern ports