Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-09-02
1t Was q Famous Victory.

A correspondent to the Kansas
City Times, concerning the recent
victory of the people of Rice county
over the Santa Fe railroad, by which
a reduction in freight rates from Rice
county points is secured says:
The Kansas City Star seems to
want to belittle the concessions of the
Santa Fe railroad to points in Rice
county on corn, wheat and agri-
cultural implements. In an article
discussing the case in the Issue of
August Is they quote Vice President
Morton as saying 1.-The concessions
only affect the towns of Lyons, Chase
and Mitchell. in Rice county,"
It is little strange that the fact
seems to have been overlooked by
newspaper correspondents, railroad
commissioners and everybody except
the redoubtable Sam Jones, who in
stigated this complaint and counseled
acceptance of the concessions, that the
concession means in the near future
practically revision of all railroad
tariff schedules on the articles men.
toned, i. e., wheat, corn and imple-
ments, over a territory 200 miles
square, or from a line drawn through
the State north and south through
Lyons to the west line of the State.
This revision must come, and soon.
The Santa Fe officials blandly admit
ted "kink" in the schedules when
NTH kIair
In the determinations between the
Mcpherson and Lyons rates, and said
they were always willing and ready to
adjust these matters when brought to
their attention.
Through the efforts of Sam Jones,
alone and unaided, this ''kink" was
Strengthened, but the same "kink'
now exists between Rice and Barton
counties that heretofore existed be-
tween Mcpherson and Rice; the
former rates to these points being,
Mcpherson IS, Rice 10, Barton Is
cents per hundred on wheat, and pro-
portlonate rates On corn and imple-
ments. The rate as it will stand after
September l will be, Mcpherson Is,
Rice IA, Barton 16.
Barton county must now take up this
matter and ask for an adjustment of
rates equal to Rice county, and in
turn Pawnee, next Edwards, and 80
on to the west line of the State.
The citizens of each community
must make complaint for themselves,
but the statutes provide that the rail-
road commissioners may be used in
these cases, and it is presumable that
now the fight has begun and the first
battle won, that IS fast az "the
burden of proof is transferred from
one locality to another some one will
be found to use the railroad commits
sioners as provided by law, and the
rates on the commodities mentioned
will soon be adjusted over the entire
western half of the State.
With his usual sagacity and long
sightedness in legal matters, Sam
Jones foresaw what sweeping vic
tory for shippers this concession was,
knowing that it would establish a
precedent for other counties that
desired to take advantage of it, and
the oft.repeated assertions of the rail-
road officials that they were always
glad to make these corrections when
brought to their attention would
make the task an easy one.
If rates become adjusted to these
new concessions the saving to the
western half of the State will be at
least $250.000 on the immense crop
of this year. :
In accordance with the suggestions
this CORRESPONDENT makes, we believe
the citizens, by general motion or
through the county commissioners,
should make demand for the same
reduction of rates of 1 cent a-hundred.
Think what it would amount to if /
cent a hundred could be saved to
Barton county farmers on wheat
alone.
Do not let this matter pass without
action, but make the protest, and
make 1t count.