The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-21
SPEAK OUT.
Railroads of Kansas by Their
Representative Attorneys,
Present Reasons as Business
Men, Why Legislation
AFFECTING THE LINES
In Kansas Should Not Be Pass
ed by the Legislature.
Messrs. Hurd, SedgWick, Wag-
gener and Gleed Quoted.
IT is REMARKABLE
But True That No Complaints
Have Been Made to
The Railroad Board For Fully
Six Months.
DOLEGISLATORSKNOW
DOLEGISLATORSKNOW
That the Harris Railroad Bill
Absolutely Prohibits
The Giving of Railroad Passes
of Any Description.

The railroad lobby, socaI1ed, composed
of attorneys for the different railroads
in Kansas is in Topeka by a right that
will scarcely be questioned, that of
looking after the interests of Kansas
roads If legislation affecting the rail-
road systems of Kansas is threatened,
it is natural that the roads should wish
to be heard on the subject, and it is
right that they should be. The State
Journal herewith presents the views of
the representative railroad men of the
state in the following interviews. Mr..
A A Hurd, attorney for the Santa Fe,
said:
There certainly IS no need of any
railroad legislation in the state Of Kan
sas and there should not be any.
IF you should take the experience Of
the Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe road,
which is probably the most prosperous
road in this state during the past ten
years. and take the most prosperous
year of the ten. for an example, you
will find that the net earnings on the
business in the state has been about
two and a half per cent on an invest
ment of fifteen thousand dollars a mile.
The road can not be duplicated at
cost of thirty thousand dollars a mile,
at the present price of material. Now
that would reduce the net earning pow
er of the investment to about one and
a quarter per cent on what it would
cost in actual cash to reproduce the
road. Well, one and a quarter per cent
Is not much return on an investment, is
it. I don't think you will find many
businesses today that are doing worse.
Il am speaking now of Kansas bust
ness and of actual cash values regard
less of bonds or anything of that kind,
and that is the very basis which has
been decided by the supreme court Is
the proper one for the legislature to
consider and IegisIate upon.
Then there is another very goud rea-
son why there should be no anti-rail-
road legislation in Kansas and that is
because the present law that we have il
the best one of any state in the Union
1T provides for a board of commits
sioners who have the power to hear
cases and make rates when complaint
Is made to them. Those who have been
Instrumental in calling this session OF
the legislature want a law which viii
confer power on a board to make rates
at pleasure without any complaint be
ing made by shippers or other parties
interested.
This is entirely unnecessary. as the
report of the present board states that
there has not been a single complaint
fled before it that has not been settled
IN a satisfactory manner to both the
complainants and the railroads. You
viii find this in the report of the pres
ent board. and a member of the present
railroad board has stated repeatedly
tnat there appeared to be no demand
for any railroad legislation, because
during the past six months not single
complaint has been filed before the
board.
"As a matter Of fact. there is no de-
mand on the part of the public for
railroad legislation of any kind The
radical element in the Populist party
are ANXIOUS to pass a bill comforting
power upon the board to make rates
without complaint. which will put it in
the power of a corrupt board to at any
time levy blackmail upon the railroads
in the same manner as blackmail has
been levied by corrupt metropolitan
police boards.
I do not believe the majority of
either house are in favor of or will con-
sent to the passage of law putting it
IN the power of any board to blackmaiI
the railroads at pleasure.
This amendment was offered at the
last session innumerable times in the
senate and voted down every time. It
was offered repeatedly in the house in
the 4oItn or what is known as the Hook
ing amendment. and was voted down
every time, and I do not know of any
reason why the majority should now
desire to give the power to a commits
-OA- ~ 'AeiGhAlla1l the railroads.. WnlCh
they so frequently refused to grant two
years ago.
We would not object to the passage
OF any fair railroad bill, giving to the
poard all the powers it is possible for
the legislature to give, to decide what
are reasonable rates in every case where
complaint is made. with fun power to
enforce such orders in the courts. but
We do most emphatically object to the
power being placed in any board to
make rates at VIII without complaint
which, with corrupt board, would