The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-04
che aatieita aiIu Eaers: Sunday or,imo aute 1889

some, unjust and unduly urged be met,
predict, by social and industrial disorder,
and, If persisted in, ultimately political
chaos. Improved and adjusted conditions
have for lifetime placated Kansas and
modified Colorado. but the ominous dis
content which explcsively fOisted a Gov
ernor Waite into power suggests potenc!es
repressive and repressed legislation viii
not always restrain a failure OF crops
coincident with low prices viii renew ag-
rarianism and revive drastic statutory re-
lief.
The Tong haul traffic dominates and
shapes the general railroad policy in this
west A maze of rates no layman can ex-
plain. no economist unravel, no employe
openly justify. prevails.
To illustrate, first class and commodity
rates per 100 pounds: From Chisago to
San Francisco, s1.o0; from Denver 10 San
Francisco, $3.50: from Denver 70 Salt
Lake, sl65; from Denver to Grand juno
ton, s1.75; from Grand Junction to Den
yer, $l.25; from Chicago to Ell Paso, 800;
from Denver TO FL Paso. $500; from Gal
weston TO Denver, $50; from Galveston TO
Omaha, $50
First class and commodity rates per ton
per mile:From New York TO San Fran
cisco, 3270 miles, SIS mills; from Omaha to
San Francisco, 1851 miles, rs; from Den
yer to San Francisco, 1893 miles, 400; from
Omaha to Ogden, Utah, 1884 miles, 30.2;
from Denver to Ogden, 712 miles. 5O.75;
from Denvtr to Telluride. Colo, 423 miles,
12O75: from Denver to Leadville, Colo,
151 miles, 1906.
Colorado car load rates on -four per cwt.
to Denver from points in interior Colo
rado, 300 miles, G. cents. From Wichita
to European markets. 5000 miles, IS cents.
On oats from a point 20 miles to LeadviIle,
% cents. On oats from Oregon to Den
yer, 400 miles, % cents per cwt.
Such items might be multiplied indefn-
itely. but they sufficiently emphasize my
contention and explain our steadily d.
ninished production, notwithstanding Col
orado contains a wider range of raw ma
terial including coal, and all more. favor
ably located for use than any correspond
ing area in the United States, possibly in
the world. OF course there are alleged
business reasons behind these fragrant
Determinations. These are simply that the
long haul rates are in the interest of and
in protection of the far off east and west
coast lines as against the mysterious
water haul'' competitor, and are en-
forced despite the presumably so far in
effectual protests of the local and in
terror lines.
The statistics have produced logically
and irrefutably testify to the proctical
helplessness of the people directly affect
ed. If the past ret10 of growth and pro-
gress is to be resumed: if the proud voast
that our natural resources in Colorado,
for instance, developed as above VIII sup
port, as believe, 100000 of people. is to
be realized, an appeal must be made to
some outside and powerful agency. If
urresponded to when the present genera
ton of bold and enterprising pioneers
has passed away. tieher its magnificent
legacy will be wasted by a spiritless and
degenerate posterity, or else must follow
harsh eadjustment-possibly confscation.
I am arlaze3 and alarmed by the now fire.
quent assertion on the rostrum and in he
press that the last alternative is inevita-
bic.
Lord Bacon said: There are. three
things which make a state great and
prosperous a fertile sonl. a busy work
shop and an easy Cheap conveyance
for men and goods from place to place"
The first we all claim; the second, some
Of US have sought to provide through the
instrumentaIty of complete bimetaHism;
and as to easy and equitable transporta-
ton, that is the salvation" I am here to
plead for.
When the Kansas farmer was occupying
his homestead gift and wheat was n dol
lar a bushel, congress could not only
grant railroad companies land grant sub
sides ad libitum. without his protest, but
his prodigality in voting railroad aid
bonds was only checked by statutory re-
straint and no attention of course was
paid to rates or heed whatever given to
railroad capitalization. Now, unhappily,
there are no more Oklahomas to be
thrown open. The Comstock lode is non
est and the Cripple Creek camps are not
many. If, however, the long hauP pro-
gram were supplanted by a determined
and persistent purpose to develop the nat
ural resources and manufacturing posi-
bilities Of this great inter-mountain west.
an ample and inviting field for achieve
ment and success would attract our Young
men, millions Of new homes would be