The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-29
WILL GO TO COURTS.
Raise a Fund OF S1,8OO to
Begin the Struggle.
Declare That $4,000 Can Be
Had If 1t Is Needed.

the fight. The STOckInen seemed uSep-
ly in earnest in the matter and declare
they can raise $25,OOO without any trou-
BILE. if necessary to win the fight. 1t is
certain that some lawyers will have
rich picking and there will be a big
scramble among them for the job.
While the meeting was called by ]. w
Robson, president of the Kansas Live
Stock association, it was by no means
an association meeting. 1t was a gath-
ering of cattlemen from & sections OF
the state. Among those a4eSent were:
John o. Brown, Delphos; Roger Jones.
Ansonia; w. G. Miller, Medicine Lodge;
Lot Ravenscroft, Ashland; William j.
Tod, Maple Hill; B. F. Pankey, Topeka;
Henry Null and F. M Arnold, Ashland;
P. H. Landergen, Eureka; P. Q. Hull
Eureka; L. r. Wright, Enpor1a; W. L.
Brown Kingman; Frank Lower, COun-
Gil Grove: r. l.. Gordon, Medicine
Lodge; NJ. M. Haskin, Frankfort; J. l.
Rogers, Roper; r. NJ. Dobson, Jeffer-
son; B. d. Freeman, Madison; B. H.
Campbell, Ashland; J. A Mccoy, EN-
poria: J. c. Morrow, Haddam; Arch
Miller, S. c. Harvey, W. S Romigh and
W. G. McCandless, Cottonwood Falls;
R. H. Chandler, Bazaar; NJ. C. Camp
bell, Wichita; H. W. Mcmillan, Mime
apolis; ]. B. Zims, Topeka; J. c. Far
rington, Strong City; E. E. Dodge,
Madison; J. T. Braddock, Madison; w.
c. Tuthin, Salina; F. B. Pratt, Hamil-
ton; H F. Martindale, Madison; George
Plumb, Emporia; J. w. Robinson, FL
dorado; t w Potter, Peabody; J. T.
White, Ada; D. P. Cowan, Olpe; ]. g.
Hughes, OIpe; w. J. Williams EN-
poria; r. W. Wright, EmpOria; c. w.
Miller, Usage; J. w. Johnson, Hamil-
ton; Jacob Bradsky, OverbroOk; B.
Heilbrum, Osage; J. H. Goddard, Usage
CITY; d. s Richards, Emporia; H. B.
Hold, Emporia, and H. R. Branson,
Dexter.
The cattlemen are all complaining
about the new rates which have recent
ly been put into effect, and the proposed
rates the roads threaten to put in force
on January L On December 1 the var
ious roads discarded their old system
of charging by the carload and put in
the 100-pOund system. The new sys-
tenn is not popular with the stOckmen,
even if it did not raise rates. But the
cattlemen claim it raises the old rates,
and for that reason they are dOubly
angry.
Just where the remedy lies the cat
tlemen are unable to say They have
not got a railroad commission to rely
upon as a basis of operation now. Three
ways were suggested. One was to have
the attorney general begin an action on
the relation of the state to force the
roads to make an equitable rate to
avoid a multiplicity of suits Another
is to have the Kansas State Live Stock
association begin proceedings for all its
members. The third is for each shipper
to bring an individual suit for over
charges
In opening the meeting. President
Robson received the history of the var
ious fights over cattle freight rates.
Two years ago" said he, the rail-
roads attempted to put in a 100-pOund
system, but we got an order from the
railroad commissioners requiring the
roads to use the old system of charging
by the carload. The roads refused to
obey this. The Lyon county district
court enjoined the roads from disobey-
ing the order. After almost a year, the
road appealed the case to the supreme
court, but. in the meantime, obeyed the
order. After it got into the supreme
court, the cattlemen did not push it be-
cause they were then receiving the rate
they were fighting for. Later the legis-
lature abolished the board of railroad
commissioners and made no provision
for keeping alive litigation in which it
was interested, then pending in the
courts. As a result, the supreme court
dismissed the cases We are now in
peculiar position. The court of vista
ton law has been pronounced uncOn-
stitutionaL On the face of things, it
looks as though we have no place to
go to get a remedy, but believe that
we can find relief in the district courts
Kansas judges are just as honest and
fair as those of any other state, and
they will no doubt, give US justice. If
we can't rely on the courts, we can ap-
peal to the people and set a law through
the next session of the legislature to our
liking. We will not invite the railroad
lawyers to frame that bill, either, as
they have done in the past"
T.
sion as to the inequality of freight
rates in various sections of the state;
spoke of the abolishment of the feed
in transit rule. and said that the cat
tlemen would have to stand together in
order to correct matters. He declared
that rates for live stock were lower
thirty years ago than they are today.
He said that the cattlemen did not want
to go back to the plan of driving cattle
to market and did not believe that they
would have to; that they would win in
their fight to secure a readjuStment.
localities had a lower rate than under
the Old but that. taken as a whole, rates
have been increased from 2 to 3 per
cent.
Lot Ravenscroft claimed that the new
schedule raised the rates on cattle from
Clark county points to the Kansas City
market over IS a car,
Major w /. Brown, of Kingman, said /
the cattlemen of his vicinity had been
hit hard by the new schedule and they /
We're anxious to join hands with the
state association in a fight to force the |
railroads to adopt the carload rate sys-
TEN again.
Thomas NJ. Potter, of Peabody, said /
the cattlemen We're here today, to pre-
vent the corporations from swallowing |
them body and soul. The railroads /
claimed in the first place that they !
TEN in charging for. carrying cattle"
said he They declared they did not 4
want to increase the rates; just to 4
change the system. Now they have /
raised the rates. There is no legislature I
to appeal to this year The roads are /
what we are going to do about it Now, |
what viii we do2 / say, let's fight The |
roads are not satisfied with getting
four hauls out of each car Of cattle at /,