The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-28
WOULD DISCUSS
FREIGHT RATES
Meeting of Jobbers and Rail-
road Men May be Called.
FREIGHT TRAFFIC MANAGER
Have Been As ked When They
Could Meet Here.

There is going to be a big meeting Of
railroad freight agents and jobbers os
southern Kansas at no late date. The
meeting will be to discuss the present
freight rates.
Since December Is, when the advance in
rates went into effect there has been con-
siderable discussion among the nnanufac-
turers and jobbeTs of this section of the
state, regarding the adjustment Of the
rates. The mills especially seems to be
hurt by the raise in rates. but all lines
of wholesale trade have made vigorous
protests against the advances and the ad-
justment of the freight rates on classes
and commodities.
a number of meetings have been held in
this city and i'll other cities. and many
conferences have been held with the To-
cal freight agents. The local men are
powerless, but the matter has come to
such a condition that the manufacturers
and jobbers feel that something must be
done and done at once. or they VIII be
almost compelled to go out OF business.
AS it is, some of the jobbers claim TO
have lost large portion of their bust
ness.
The millers claim that they viii be COM
PEELED to shut down soon if the situation
IS not relieved, as they have no outlet
for their products except locally or at d
loss.
The meetings held did not result in any
good to anyone except a discussion of
plans, and no definite action was taken.
But the conferences held with the rail-
road men may be OF some benefit.
Many of the meetings were long, and
the discussions heated, and as a result
the commercial agents of the four roads
entering Wichita have agreed TO write 70
or confer with the general freight mana
gers of their respective roads and see
when all of these gentlemen would be
willing TO meet the manufacturers and
jobbers OF Wichita and the surrounding
country in this city, when the matter of
freight rates can be discussed thoroughly
and possibly some definite action may be
taken by the officials at that time that
will relieve the situation for time, At
least
Many plans have been discussed regard
Ing the situation. Some have advised get
ting bills into the legislature that would
help the people, but the general opn-
ION seems to be that inasmuch the
railroads have not given the manufactur-
ers and jobbers and others interested in
the matter any definite reason for the adj
vance in rates, they should be allowed TO
tell their side OF the story before any
hasty action is taken. This Man was adj
vised by a railroad man who is consid
cred one OF Wichitas best friends as re-
CARDS railroads. and he was of the opi;l
ion that If such a meeting could be ar
ranged the railroads would give their side
of the question and the entire matter
would be discussed in a friendly way all
would understand the positions each were
in and some satisfactory arrangement
could be made to relieve the matter
When the holiday rush is over and the
annual inventories are taken. most of the
manufacturers and jobbers who have eX-
pressed an opinion about the matter be-
lieve that an opportune time for hold
ing this meeting would be about the mid
ole or last of next month. Business would
not be so heavy as at other times of the
year, and nearly every person inter-
ested in the matter of freight rates could
have a representative. Every phase of
the question could be discussed at this
meeting All would be given a hearing,
the meeting would be informal. and with
out doubt much good would resllt from 4
friendly discussion of the entire freight
rate question.