The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-15
IN JOINT DEBATE.
CONTINUED from First Page,

/ reference and other cognate subjects
/ but have talked too long already. One
thing I win say, however before 1 close.
THE state spends considera bic money
4 through the Agricultural college, the
State Agricultural society and other
questions, in collecting and disseminat-
ing useful knowledge regarding the first
great industry Of Kansas; it does wise
". So also it would do wisely to main
tain a body. OF students. call it a COM
mission Or-HVhat 7yot splease. but a body
of students studying 4fhe railroad prob
lens and collecting and disseminating
knowledge regarding the second great
industry of the state It should be a
body of students, with long tenure of
Office, competent men well paid, indie
pendent experts devoting their whole
time to the subject, whose complete in
vestigations and disinterested conc1lI-
sions would command the absolute re-
speet of the people and be an education
not alone to the people and the shippers
but to the railroad operators themselves
And I undertake to say that there is no
man who ever served six months on the
interstate railroad commission or on any
state railroad board who viii not heart
lily subscribe to this recommendations
WALLACE'S REPLY.
In answer to the arguments on behalf
of the railways presented by Mr.. Gleed,
Mr.. Wallace gave a very long and in
teresting discussion of the railroad stu
alton from the STANDPOINT of the peo-
pie" Mr.. Wallace said in part:
THE fact that a state in it's wisdom.
or unWisdOn as the case may be- per
mits a private corporation to build
public road or railway does not render
the road one whit less a public road on
which every citizen, because he is a cit
izen, has the right of passage for him
self and his goods on equal terms with
every other citizen. These highways are
the heritage of the people, an essential
part of our system of Intercourse. and
to the republic and the states composing
it what the great Roman roads were to
that wonderful empire.
THE difference between the railroad
and other roads may be defined very
briefly. as follows: The common roads
of the country are located. improved,
and kept in repair by the state, county,
township or CITY, as the case may be.
and for the free use of the public and
for the use of every individual alike. The
turnpike, bridge or canal are construct
ed for the good of the public by private
corporations under charter and with the
right to collect tolls as required by law
Other individuals or corporations may
use this road by paying legal tolls, but
if common carriers for hire they must
serve the public at equal rates and
without discrimination
The railroad differs from the other
two classes in that, contrary to the
/ original intent its managers are the
]
/ sive control of the carriages, inaSmuch
as it excludes all other carriages from
/ its highway and thus suppresSes COM
petition on the line. 1t thus becomes a
natural monopoly, that is a monopoly
/ in the very nature of things. a necessary
/ monopoly and is under the most sacred
obligations to discharge faithfully the
duties of a common carrier and deal
with both persons and places with the
most exact and even handed Justice
Events are rapidly fastening another
; great contest not in any one state but
/ in all the states when the issue will be
whether this government viii be gov
eminent of the people, by the people and
for the people. or government of the
for the corporations In the rest
of this paper it shall be my OBJ
/ ject to show that this conflict which
/ may shake the very foundations OF the
republic is growing directly out of the
! abuses which the people have allowed
! to grow up in the management of rail-
ways and that, too by the failure to ez-
theirs by the mandate of the highest
court IN the land
ITO be more specific, there are five
{ principal complaints which farmers
I rightfully make against the railroads of
! the country as at present managed:
/ Discrimination in favor of certain per-
sons and places (the word persons COW
ering both natural and legal -persOns);
/ false representations as to the cost of
I the roads or the improvements made on
! these state and national highways. ex-
I cessive rates for freight anG passenger
j traffic: interference on the part of the
/ officers Of the roads with state and ma
/ tiOnal politics; and a failure in large
part to SO adjust freight and passenger