The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-21

mean bIackmar. We do not wish to
see good men tempted by such extraor-
binary power.
The Harris bill is in many respects
a very good bill, but 1 do not expect to
see it passed, as it absolutely prohibits
the giving of passes, which the major
ity of the members did not know when
they voted for it before"
MIR. Sedgwick's Opinion.
Mr. T. N. sedgwick of Parsons. attor-
ney for the NJ. K. & T. road in this
state, said: Why should there be any
railroad legislation in this state?
Can any. sane man answer the ques-
ton? The railroads of this state scarce
ly earn the taxes on their mileage. That
is the fares and freight from station
to station do not pay the taxes on the
road. 1 was surprised myself when l
looked over a statement which L had
prepared of the earnings of the NJ. K.
& T. road on the local business and
found that it did not earn the taxes
that we pay. Now they certainly should
allow US to earn taxes by local business
and then on the interstate or through
business we could earn enough to pay
the operating expenses of the road.
We are managing things now as
economically as we can and in case they
compel US to reduce our earnings we
will have to cut down on the eXpendl-
lures We can't stop repairing cars
and rolling stock and the only way
can see that we could do anything
would be to reduce wages.
Then when you consider that in less
than thirty days from the time that
the call for the special session was is
sued that another regular session of
the legislature would convene you can
see that there is no need of calling an
extra session, and that it is not called
for any other reason than to make pO-
litical capital"
MIR. Waggener's Reasons.
B. P. Waggener of Atchison. who
looks after the interests of the Missouri
Pacific in Kansas, said:
The railroads have their representa-
tives here to oppose the conf1scatiOn of
their property. We hope the senate
grant US a hearing that we may have
an opportunity of showing that the
roads can not stand a reduction of
rates, as the main object of the extra
session seems to be to reduce rates. As
American citizens we certainly can not
be denied the right of petition and as
upon which heavy taxes are paid we
shall ask to be heard. The railroad
lobby as it has been termed, is here
to protect its interests, a privilege
which, 1 believe, generally is accorded
to people. We come as citizens and
taxpayers, and hope and expect to be
treated as such.
We can show statistics which will
prove that there is no need for such
legislation. I don't know just what
kind of a bill will be presented The
bill that passed two years ago was as
vicious measure as could well be got
ten up and if anything worse is pro-
posed don't think it viii pass"
Mr.. GIeed's Opinion.
Mr.. ]. w. Gleed. representing the St.
Louis & San Francisco, said:
THE subject OfrailrOad legislation has
been debated so much in this state it
is nearly worn thread bare; anything
said on it sounds like Remember the
Maine
I once said to an eminent anti-rail-
road statesman, Either you are max
ing campaign purely for political pur-
poses and absolutely without regard to
truth and justice, or else you have some
method of arriving at what would be
fair and just rates in the state of Kan
saS at the present time. What is your
theOry-What is your method of arriv-
ing at just rates?' His reply was I
have no theory and I have no method.
All know is that the railroads of Kan
sas were built by fools and scOundrels
and have always been operated by the
same kind OF folks and the only thing
for the state to do is to take the roads
and pay what it can afford to-
I have never seen stated any rea-
sons why railroad rates in Kansas are
unreasonable It is well known that
twO-thirds of the mileage in the state
does not more than pay taxes and op-
Grating expenses. On what theory
ought their rates to be still further re-
duced? And speaking of taxes, it is
not generally known but it is a fact
that the railroads of Kansas pay a
larger per cent of all the taxes paid in
the state than the roads of any other
state in the Union. 1 venture to say
that the total valuation of all railroads
in the state of Kansas is very close to
the real value of all the mileage in
Kansas Some may be assessed under
its real value but much is assessed
above its real value. Real estate other
than railroad property is valued at
about one fourth its actual value for
purposes of taxation. Personal property
is valued at from One-fOurth to one
half its actual value and, of course.
most personal property evades taxa
roads pay about One-fifth of all the
taxes paid in the state. In Missouri
the railroads have to pay only about
One-fifteenth, and in Illinois only about
One-tenth; in Colorado less than one
sixth, but in Kansas the railroad prop
erty constitutes close to One-fifth of
the total assessed valuation of all the
property in the state, and the railroads
running through the towns have to pay
their taxes in those localities of the
state where the rate is highest. Other
property in the state is not valued for
taxation at to exceed One-fOurth or one
third of its real value The railroads
of the state will be very glad to accept
half of their real value and be allowed
rates which would earn them interest
on their real value thus ascertained I
do not know what the figures have been
since 1886 but in 1885 the Frisco was
earning in Kansas only a reasonable in