Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-12-29

ana 10 SOC that the law which prohibits enc
companies from taking more than the reason-
able rates determined by them is enforced, and
to this end the legislature should provide an at-
tOrney for the board whose special duty itshRll
be TO appear whenever necessary and protect
the interests Of the state In the enforcement
Of the law II the railroad companies per-
sst In exacting greater rates than those deter
mined by the board to be reasonable oil persons
injured should have the right to recover their
damages with reasonable attorneys fees, In
any court OF competent jurisdiction. To be
efficient the law must strengthen the hands OF
the people interested so that they shall not be
wholly dependent on the action OF public au-
thorities for the enforcement OF the law
A law should also be passed limiting the
amount OF mortgage Indebtedness that may
be placed upon railroad, AS the matter
stands now they are free to place mortgage
bonds upon their property without regard 10 It's
cost The only difference that see between
bond Issue by the state and railroad bond Is
that the money TO pay the interest Of state
bond is collected by taxation while the money
TO pay the interest on o railroad bond is levied
by the company upon the productions Of the
country The people must as surely pay one
as the other; therefore, they have right to
protect themselves with law that will limit
such Indebtedness to the actual cost OF tho
road either by purchase or construction,
Two years ago bill WINS introduced In the
legislature to provide for the expense OF having
Kansas represented ut the Omaha exposition
Owing to the fact that the holding OF this ex-
position was not yet assured, the Legislature
did not make any provision for representation
Afterwards, when It became apparent that the
exposition would become u great national Af-
fair the state board OF agriculture passed
unanimous resolutions asking that Kansas be
represented The mayors and councils and
commercial bodies OF many cities In the state
also asked that steps should be taken to tho
end that Kansas might be properly repre-
sented
As ready money was essential to- the success
Of the project, asked the railuDad companies
Of the state to guarantee 5000 OF such fund.
Some OF the roads did not respond, but the
Atchison, Topeka Santa Fe gave t6U40. o.;
the Missouri PacihJ gave a. $40 b0t the Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific gave lSOOO; the ST.
Louis & san Francisco gave 1850, making .
total OF IA, b410J contributed by the railroads
OF Kansas A number OF counties In the state
and good many citizens contributed
also, making the total amount con-
tributed l2l,07a9l or this sum the
commission has on hand ~, 43a57, out OF which
expenses estimated at &i.00J must be paid,
which would leave balance on hand OF about
$500 As this exposition was of great benefit
to all the people OF the state and as, the rail-
roads not contributing were benefited as much
as those who did, deem II just that the leRis-
lature should reimburse oil corporations, coun-
ties and persons contributing to this fund, sO
that the expense may fall equltnbly upon all
classes benefited. and I recommend that the
legislature reimburse to the parties contrib
uting all sums OF money so paid,
JOHN w. LEEDY Governor.