The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-20
9aitu agle
u. II. MIRDOCK. Editor.
The Kansas LegIsIature and Railway LEGISLATION.


The Kansas Legislature and Railway Legislation.
The people of Kansas have been accused Of being
cranky on the subject of railway legislation our Popust
friends while power dseredt rail
way holdings to discourage their Arrangements and thereby
erbarass and limit their operations the meanwhile aoo
Grating the precipitation Of number Of these lines into the
hands receivers all Of which deprecang the taxable
values Of the stee and bringing railway construction
improvements betterments standsth avaied the
interests Of the shippers not whit Railway managenens
are too wise TO cut their own threats only that they may do
injustice patrons In absence Of prosperity
upon part people there hope chance for
railroad properties. The state is made up Of communities
which must grow and increase or there remains only
barrassmens bankruptcy its railroads This is
more clearly understood by the railway
nents from president and directory the division
superintendent and the station agent. than by anybody
else That there may BE- often are Determinations
unavoidable or otherwise. denied. But upon the
whole the legislature business Representatives
of the people can not be more directly anousy con
cerned for the commercial growth and development and
the agricultural prosperity of the than the who
are responsible maintenance for the fixed charges
expenses and the future hopedor of the various
railway lines conserving these interests.
Already there have been half railway measures
introduced in the legislature upon Of which in
cplent statesman believes his political sOrunes hang Some
of these measures contain the mwise reactionary
sringency Of oneded Pop dreams which if enacted
into laws would the commercial agri
cultural and taxable interests of the people and comment
ties of the state than they could possible good The egsa
ture should in remembering party platform promises
of railway legislation forget that for two
past Kansas has running along without railroad
law and never so posperousy with little friction as
to freight rate complaints The operation and control Of the
railways Of the state cannot be turned to the control
management and dctaon Of three Of number of in
expert inexperienced railway commissioners without dis
aste to both roads and the the communities
which the roads serve No railway commission can more
anxious for the equitable and satisfactory operation Of
road han its responsible management for the reasons
previously stated that in the development and prosperity OF
the localities and communities served alone is to be found
prosperity and development the railroads If the -a
roads could double or quadrple the number inhabitants
in the state Kansas its productive powers and tax
able values the railroads would be in just proportion
more valuable And to very end homogeneous of
the various roads from president to station agent
logically if seashy ever bending all their experience ana
other railway law loses sight of that fact they lose sight
of one of the most vital material interests Of their respective
constituencies shipper who at the same time is prop
ey holder and taxpayer the would fna all Of his
interests better conserved to the railway
question were the traffic problem train service left
entirely in the hands of conscientious expert railroad
ayers whose whole aniety must the expansion Of
a business than in the hands of commission of mex
perienced politicians whose prime ambition fat salary
and whose decisions for the part ogicol
best uessyor in the supposed interest of some individual
or locality.
A state Of railway commissioners. If we must have
one beyond general supervisory powers and the authority
to wipe out or correct uuwarranted Determinations in
freight rates in cases where such Determinations are
clearly made apparent ought clothed with such
power as win tend to nagations cra render
train service inadequate or lead TO fights sfes be
tween railway arrangements and class-shippers com
munies Nine-tenths OF the railway traffic being inter
state and subjeet state regulation there one
commission possible to right transportation wrongs ana
that commission must not only national one cons-
tued of experts but backed by national authority. All
others are the creatures party politics not the nstra
nents Of unsnlightened prejudice.