The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-15

The arguments were long and compre
hensive. They showed deep study OF
the problems involved and formed
most interesting presentation of one ot
the greatest problems now before the
American people.
Owing to the large crowd which is at
tending the meetings of the board, it
was found necessary this afternoon to
rent Crawford's Opera House The pa
pers We're read there. and the parqaet
was well filled lit is the intention TO-
hold the day meetings tomorrow in the
council chamber. as originally an
nounced. The change to the opera
house was made because of the great
interest manifested in the Gleed-Wal-
lace discussion. The council chamber
was uncomfortably crowded at the
morning session The attendance at the
meeting surpasses anything in the his
tory of the board meetings
After the reading of the papers this
afternoon, there was quite an animated
attending the convention.
DR. Wallace's address was the more
dramatic of the two. It abounded with
acathing denunCiation of the railroads,
backed up with convincing logic. ann
reached it's climax when as the newt
able solution Of the difficulty DR.. Wal
lace asserted that the government must
either own or control all the railways in
the country.
Mr Gleed was naturally on the de-
lensive throughout. He advocated the
theory that the natural laws of compe-
titior viii act as a sufficient protection
to the community from the rapacity OF
railways. He attributed the popular
clamor against railways to the fact thai
the people distrust railway managers
because they do not personally come
Tn fhd al F1efr. r.r-
words Of his address he advocated the
formation of state commission to
study the railroad question and dissem-
mate knowledge as to the facts Of rail-
way MANAGEMENT
The subject Of Mr. Gleed's paper was
The Railroads and the Farmer" That
of DR.. Wallaces was THE Farmer and
the Railroads Mr.. Gleed was first Oh
the programme
MIR. GLEED OPENS ARGUMENT.
strangers naturally distrust each
other. said Mr. Gleed. In certain years
OF extreme distress, now fortunately
past there was much bitterness and bad
language The farmers said to the rail-
road owners something like this.
You railroad barons of the east.
not content with robbing the people of
the best part of the public domain. not
content with vast subsidies in the form
OF municipal aid bonds often procured
by bribery and fraud. have loaded all
the great public highways with frsr
mortgage bonds and second MORTGAGE
bonds and income bonds and first Dre-
1erred stock and second preferred stock
and common stock. have created a hinge.
fraudulent and artificial capitalization.
and are now compelling us 10 nav in
terest on this vast sum out of funds
WhicH ought to go to supply necessities
and comforts to our wives and chill
dren. You have us absolutely ia vour
power We must reach the market ana
YOU levy upon us all the toll which n
Is possible for US to pay and survive
And the railroad owners retorted
we gather our accumulated capital
from all classes and conditions Of
tnrltty, hard working citizens and we
nuild railroads and telegraphs through
oeSeits. we made it possible for YOU to
go where the American people could moi
nave gone In one hundred years but for
our tnrlIt enterprise and daring We
SPFtteu ana improved your farms and
ouit your cities We made it possible
-el you 70 achieve in twenty years "a
nc t1i iet progress greater than tbs
oider states made in two hundred. And
now thal you have possession of o1I4
property. now that our railroads cover
your vast prairies like a spiders veh.
80 tuat Your cities and villages are
1uilt ana your farms are improved and
rto-heuf now tnar YOU have all the hen.
elit uA our risk and venture Won turn
uloh us We took the hazard W.,
Placeu 1r money in the wilderness. in
new anu untried enterprise, and il can
NOT pe removed You have nnsSessio--
Of it, You overtax our railrclaf f7a W,
blacklist US in your legislatures yoI-
assume the right to regulate our rates
You rob us as jurymen. You refuse us
justice III your courts You attack and
harass us In every conceivable and Dos
aiole way We are at your mercy. You
nave our property in your possession
and you know it cannot be removed