Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-02-02

The most important consideration III
The ne'v arrangement is economy. Some
people go so far as TO estimate that we
can double our dividends by dispensing
with features that the active rivalry
heretofore has compelled us to maintain.
First, by consolidating the various
trunk lines and their feeders under q sim
gle management, the salary list can be
very largely reduced. Instead Of having
different agents for each of the different
interests. only one agent will be necessa-
ry at all points; more than half the
ticket offices can be closed, and, under
the friendly arrangement, UNION ticket
offices will serve the purpose Of the indi-
vidual Offices now maintained. For ex-
ample, in New York city, rival railways
have been compelled to maintain ticket
Offices every few blocks. Broadway is
lined with them, from the Battery to
Central Park, and corresponding num-
Der are found in every city. These will
be abolished, and union ticket Offices cs-
tablished at points most convenient to
the public.
"All commissions will be cut OH. Up
to this time, and for many years, ticket
and freight agents at local points
throughout the country have been paid
commissions nf IN nor cant aud eyan
more, for diverting business to one line
or another. When a farmer comes i'll
with shipment of grain he generally
leaves the selection of the line over which
it is to be sent to the Judgment of the
local agent, and the latter has received a
commission OF 10 per cent from the road
selected. When family takes trip to
the White mountains, to Atlantic City
or to New York, it usually accepts the
advice of the local ticket agent as to the
route by which it will travel, ana he has
collected 10 per cent. on the price OF the
ticket. All those perquisites will be cut
off
Soliciting agents will be withdrawn.
Railways have benin the habit of send.
ing out drummers and BARRIERS to snatch
freight from other roads, and pay them
salaries or commissions, or both, accord
ing to their success; but they will do SO
no longer. ,.-, .
advertising expenses will be consid-
erably cut down. While the different
railways will doubtless continue to make
their attractions and advantages known
by the publication of folders and other
reading matter, and by legitimate adver-
Using in the newspapers, the removal of
the hostile spirit from the competition
will permit of an enormous saving III
this respect. The public has no concep-
ton of the amount Of money that is
spent for printers ink by the big passen-
ger lines.
II could tell you Of many other opper-
tuntes for economy under the new svs-
TEN, but it is useless to go into further
details. Whereverlwe can cut dowE cX-
penses without injury to the interests we
represent, we shall do it. Very frequent
ly in the past, railroads have spent more
money to secure certain kinds of bust
ness than the revenue received from it.
They have been willing to spend money
to keep business away from their rivals,
even at q loss to themselves. All this
will be stopped, and the future manage
ment of the great trunk lines between,
the Atlantic and the mississippi will be
based upon intelligent. economical and
friendly rivalry" 7