Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-01-13


or the members of the Ohio State legis-
Iatnre or being unduly prejudieed in
favor of the railways. They certainly
have not that reputation.
believe that these facts and figures
are sufficient answer to Mr.. Davis in-
quiry as to the cost of service, and also
as to his statement as to his inabilityto
find any record Of higher rates in
foreign countries than in America. If
Mr.. Davis wishes further figures. as 4
have said, shall be pleased to furnish
them in any quantity.
come now to what trust ampnot
too ssnguine in calling Mr.. Davis last
letter, where ne calls my attention to
some additional wrongs"-though it is
little discoursging to be told that they &
cannot be remedied by any mere words
that Mr.. Ripley may utter" The
wrongs referred to are:
1. 1t is alleged that it has some
times" been the railway policy to make
lower rates on lumber for towns and
cities further west than for those some
miles to the east of them, and that this
has sometimes been carried to such an
extent that it has been found cheaper
to ship to the remote point and haul
back by teams. and that this practice
was so common that it was found
necessary to provide against soch policy
by the enactment of the "long and short
haul clause" of the Inter State law.
gather from the foregoing that the
case referred to occurred prior to the
passage of the Inter State law or more
than ten years ago. 1t is rather much
to ask me to defend all the abuses that
may have occurred in the gradual ev-
olution of the railway system of this
country and have not undertaken that
contract If all the facts of these cases
referred to could be ascertained, how
ever, / have little doubt that very
good excuse, if not a perfect justiica-
ton, could be found for the conditions
said to have existed. Even Congress
recognized that lesser charge for the
longer distance was sometimes justifi-
able and gave the Commission power
to suspend this section of the lava
power which the Commission has fire.
quentlY exercised.
2. tits charged that wheat and other
products originating on East and West
lines and destined South are charged to
junction points of Southern lines as
much as if forwarded much farther sop
East and West lines, and that in this
way the charge has sometimes been as
high for thirteen miles as for one hun
dred and fifty-three miles on the same
road and in the same direction.
1 am unable to reply to this intelli-
gently without further knowledge of
the particular cases and conditions; but
l can conceive of conditions that would
make this course at least defensible il
not wholly justifable, and can see
that there might be cases where it
} would also actually be more profitable
J to the road to haul over the one hum
, dred and fifty-three miles to the ter
minal of the road rather than deliver
the car to a southern connection on q
haul of only thirteen miles. The case
is probably an isolated and peculiar
one, however.
3. This charge consists mainly of
extracts regarding free passes taken
from book written by Mr.. a. b. Stick
ney, who is so fortunate to be styled by
S Mr.. Davis veteran railway man,
5 Mr.. Stickney is gentleman for
4 whom 1 have high personal regard
e and esteem, but I hardlye think he
d would himself claim the title of wet
e eran" in the service. He is man of
: high character and ability, but not OF
:. great experience in railway operation
He has built up considerable system
0 of railway, mostly with foreign capital
:. and somewhat to the detriment of the
e investors, aud he has written book
e which is remarkable for the extent of
r Mr.. Stickney is an exceedingly able
l. bodied developer of impracticable
y theories, but I must decline to accept
}, him as final authority upon general rail
i way practice. None the less, I have
+ very little criticism to make upon his
quoted remarks as to the free pass evil
d In fact, l am and have always beer
IS radically opposed to the issuance OF
: any kind of free transportation, and
), would gladly do away with it If pos
l. sible. But It is mistake to osuppose
d that the abolition of passes would en-
t able the roads to materially reduce
l. passenger rates, for, in the first place
those who travel on passes would rids
It but little if they had to pay fare, and
@ in the second place, the total of free
g rides computed at regular rates of fare