Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-07
PRESIDENT RIPLEY'S REPLY.
HE ANSWERS ATTACI<S OF w. +.
BROWN AND JOHN DAVIS.
Is Radically Opposed to the Issuance
of Free Transportation AID
Would He Glad to Have 1t
stopped by LegisIation.

Topeka. Kas., Jan. s.-(SpeciaI) In to-
days issue of the Kansas Commoner ap-
ident L. p. Ripley, of the Santa Fe. writ
ten in reply TO a series of articles which
have appeared regularly in that publication;
The articles were over the signatures Of
w. +. Brown and John Davis, and critt-
cised the entire workings of the Santa Fe
railroad. its methods and management. In
his communication. after replying to many
of the charges made. President Ripley In
dulges in few personal remarks as fol-
lows:
1T is complained that do not earn my
salary as president of the Santa Fe road:
at least. 1t is charged that my salary Is
unreasonable and that>I. myself. am of
little value do not see the direct bear
Ing of this on passenger rates in Kansas
and the subject is somewhat embarrassing
to modest man / can only say that I
began to work for a railroad company
about twenty-eight years ago at wages
slider modest: that never enjoyed what
Is called a pull; that the directors of the
Santa Fe hired me as cheaply as they
could; that / work to the best of my abil-
ity; that there is no compulsion on the d.
rectors or the stockholders of the Santa Fe
body else; and they are at liberty to make
change at any time. Until they do so l
must accept the fact of my continuance
In my position as more important evidence
as to the vaue Of my work even than the
statements of Mr.. Brown and Mr.. Davis
1t is complained that the Santa Fe road
uses the British lion as a trademark on
many of its folders. Again ! confess that
l miss the connection between this and
the matter of passenger rates In Kansas.
Simply as a matter of historical interest,
however, I may state that the lion that
formerly appeared on the Santa Fe fold
| ers was not the British lion: it was SIM
ply a lion. and, as matter of fact. was.
am informed. originally adopted from
the lion of Venice and not the lion of En-
| gland. Venice at one time was the great
commercial and carrying power of the
world. Starting from their one little port
| the Venetian navigators pushed their way
into the remote corners of the then known
| world and did the carrying trade and the
commerce of the greater part of the peo-
pies of the earth. When the Santa te
pushed its tracks across some OF the Wild
erness which II trayerses IL seemed as II
| the spirit which impelled the men who
tuilt the road was not unlike the spirit
! IN the old days carried their lion ensign
proudly wherever there was trade to be
gained or carrying to he done. and it
seemed as if the same ensign would serve
well for the Santa Fe road Personally.
f! en- this understanding of it. think the
emblem is good one: but it SO happens
that this trademark was discarded some
thing over year ago and further discus
sion Of such wholly frivolous matter is
| superfiuous."
| After Thoroughly discussing the rate
question. Mr.. Ripley touches on the dues-
tion of the issuance of free transportation.
| and says:
| posed to the issuance of any kind of free
transportation. and would gladly do away
| with it If possible. But it IS mistake to
suppose that the abolition of passes would
I enable the roads to materially reduce pas
/ senSer rates. for. in the first place. those
who travel on passes would ride but little
place. the total of free rides computed at
regular rates of fare would not add enough
general reduction: 1t is not. however. so
1 much the money loss that makes the issu-
ance of free passes annoying. 1t is the
! fact that some persons have them while
| others do not, and whatever claims the
holders may have upon the company. and
however much they may feel entitled TO
passes, their neighborS who do not have
them fail to appreciate those claims. Mr..
Davis says he has not seen me in print on
this question Permit me to say now to
! see state or national laws. or both, making
! it n state prison offense to either give or
receive a pass or any form of free trans
charity. I should also like to see those
laws enforced
( 1T Is quite impossible that anybody
should be more anxious to discuss his busi-
ness mes frankly with Wit the people than am to
fairs of the Santa Fe road. The Santa F'e
road Is an institution which pays out an
nuaIly about 81. 100000 in the state of
lie service. 1t is an institution of which it
seems to me that every citizen in the state
earnestly that the citizens of Kansas
owned the road. The Santa Fe has always
Sa * knS~n % say as sba poef foc mans has
! largely held and invested in by the savers
! of small capital. by the widows and tho
trustees for orphans in the East. The stock
! is scattered around ir. thousands OF very
small lots. l wish it was scattered among
the citizens of Kansas. I wish that every
man and woman in Kansas could nut the
few dollars necessary into one share OF the
company's stock, SO that Kansas people
would own the Santa Fe road / Should
then, if l was retained in my position.
when talked to the people of Kansas
| be talking to my employers. and everyone
seeing that the Santa Fe road did what
was right and lived honestly. You woud
know the road then. You would see and
understand what We were doing, and you
! would not believe the people who attacked
US and misrepresented u.s."