The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-10

a majority of the stock of the two com
panies could be compelled to sell it, or
dispose of it on the markets, would 1t
fall into hands more interested In the
development and in the prosperity of
the northwest than it's present owners?
How is it that the lines have been ex-
tended and improved2 What brought
about the present condition of pros
perity of the two companies? What has
enabled them to serve the people along
the lines as they have been served =?
Plainly the willingness and the ability
of those controlling large interests of
the company who found it to their ad-
vantage to build up the lines and pro-
mote the settlement OF the territory
tributary to it and who will continue
it"
HOW RATES HAVE COME DOWN.
He called attention to the former
high rates on the great lakes and how
Northwestern interests had established
new lines and forced reductions IN rates
from the east and by means of new ele-
vators, had compelled lower rates there
also. After further touching on rate
reductions, he said:
THE conditions of the general rail-
road situation in the United States at
the present time are hardly understood.
For the year ending June 3O 1890, the
number of tons carried one mile by the
railroads was 76,207, 100000. In 1900 it
was 141, 0,000, 600 as shown by the inter-
state commerce commission reports. In
1901 a safe estimate will bring this to
increase of l20 per cent in eleven years.
During this time the mileage of the
railroads in the United States increased
Is per cent While the tons moved
show an increase of 120 per cent, the
earnings show an increase of less than
40 per cent During this time the rates
have been reduced to the extent of that
difference. During that period of eleven
years, Notwithstanding the enormous
increase in traffic, four So-called
trunk lines have through destructive
competition failed and then reorganized
and all but one of them have been alb
sorbed by the stronger surviving lines.
Destructive competition has forced the
weakest lines into bankruptcy and to-
day they are owned by the lines that
were able to maintain their position
and credit giving the ability to acquire
these bankrupt roads. The Baltimore &
Ohio and the Pennsylvania, for half
century have been rival roads. Both
states and cities actively aided in build
ing them up-destructive competition
between them have finally resulted in
the Pennsylvania railroad owning the
Baltimore & Ohio. Have the rates ad-
vanced Have the people along the line
of the Baltimore & Ohio suffered? On
the contrary the first step has been to
furnish money to cut down the grades,
double track the line from the Ohio riv-
er to Chicago and to furnish cars and
facilities to handle the business to the
best advantage and at such rates as
will enable the shippers along the line
to open up their lines and increase their
business in every branch of trade and
to rely upon a solvent company for the
facilities necessary to transact their
business"
CONGESTED CONDITION.
After speaking of the congested state
of transportation throughout the coun-
try he said
IA careful examination of the rail-
way problem from a national stand
point will, believe, show beyond ques-
ton that the business of the country
has outgrown the facilities on most of
the trunk lines, and that new facilities.
not now apparent will be necessary to
relieve the situation. Rates in the Unit
ed States are much lower than in any
other country. Wages are higher, the
cost of much of the material is much
charged in Europe is fully twice as
high as in America. The conditions in
this country change very rapidly
while rates have been cut in two in
twenty years. all kinds of labor and ma
terials used by the railways have ad-
vanced from 80 to so per cent Nothing
made it possible to reduce rates as they
have been reduced. Today we find the
volume of traffic so great east of Chi
cago the railways are not able to move
it under the present conditions. How
will these conditions be changed and at
whose cost? Who will build new lines,
or increase old ones? These are the
questions which I will not undertake to
answer IaGIneT IMAM To say Indl lH--
west must have the facilities or suffer
for the want of them. The public must
bear in mind that bankrupt road can
not furnish good service"
He remarked that lit will be thirty
two years next March since I first saw
the Red river valley. At that time
there was not a single house on the
west side of the Red river from the
Bois de Sioux to Pembina-"
After speaking of the valleys mar
velous growth he said in conclusion: 81
hope in the future that with better
methods of cultivation and more knowl-
edge of what is required, your condi-
ton may be constantly improved, and
if your condition is improved ours will
certainly share 1t with you As the
volume of traffic increases, our rates
will be reduced. Remember that what
ever helps you helps the railroads, and
whatever hurts you. or restricts your
growth, restricts the growth of the rail-
road serving you We will always pros
per together, or be poor together