The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-04
Santa Fe Refuses to Haul More
Wheat to Mexico.
Blockade of Grain Ties Up Hun
dreds of Cars.
NO HELP TO FARMERS.
Mexican Wheat Shipments All
Originate at Kansas City.
Farmers Are Afraid to Trust
Mexican Traders.

No more wheat for shipment to Mex
leo will be taken by the Santa Fe road,
according to an order just issued by the
freight department of the road. The
reason is the congested condition of
the wheat traffic at Ell Paso, the Santa
Fe's Mexican gateway, due to the at
tempt the part of President Diaz to
smash the Mexican wheat combine.
1t is reported that 100000 bushels
of wheat are blockaded at FL Paso,
waiting for transfer to cars to carry
it down into Mexico. The Santa F'e
has hundreds of cars tied up at FL
Paso. with no prospect of immediate
release.
The new order stopping wheat ship
ments is of great Importance, and
may have considerable effect on the
situation in Mexico. Whether or not it
will have any effect on the policy of
combine is merely matter of specula-
ton, but it is believed that the wheat
shipments are already so large that
Dias's plan is accomplished
1t is not often that any railroad fiat
ly refuses to ship wheat for a long
haul, such as is the one from Kansas
to Ell Paso. But the Santa F'e officials
say that the road can better afford to
use its cars in shipping wheat to Gal
weston and Chicago, where the move
ment is quick, and the cars are hack
in service in comparatively short
time. Assistant Freight Agent Cook
says in speaking of the new order:
I'VE are not taking any more wheat
shipments for Mexico because it takes
too long to transfer the grain at Ell
Paso. We do not let our cars go down
into Mexico. If we should do that we
would not get them back again till
next harvest time. The shipments have
been mostly from Kansas City. Far
m ers do not take kindly to shipping
their wheat direct to Mexico. There
are too many risks. 1t is too far away.
They are afraid the laws of Mexico will
not protect them against loss. Ship
mentS of grain are matter of fact
seldom made to Mexico unless paid for
in advance. If the Santa Fe had cared
to continue handling wheat for Mexico.
we could probably have done the big
end of the hauling down there. But
out here in Kansas the wheat is lying
on the ground waiting for shipment to
Chicago, and to Galveston, and we have
decided to take care of the farmers
first"
The effort of President Diaz to smash
the wheat pool in Mexico was unique,
effective and thoroughly Mexican. 1t
became evident to the president that
all the wheat of the nation was in the
hands of a trust, which was compelling
the poor people to pay exorbitanl
prices for the wheat. The trust was
protected in its work by the high tariff
on wheat, which kept away imports
from the United States. Realizing that
without the tariff the trust would fall
of it's own weight, the Mexican presi-
dent with a stroke of his autOcratic
pen abolished the wheat tariff till jan
uary 1.
Since then wheat has been going
toward Mexico at the rate of 200 900
bushels a day. The Southern Pacific
has hauled vast quantities from Cali
fornia, and the traffic through Eagle
Pass and Laredo is said to be as heavy
as by way of Ell Paso.