The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-06
col DS

yesterday by reporter of the Eagle. who
asked for his opinion on the decision of
the commission.
Il think he replied, 'that the decision
was not warranted by the facts disclosed
in the evidence introduced before the
commission, but / do not. blame the COM
missiorers, for they had no other power
than to- decide as they did. for thsy were
governed by the decision of the supreme
court in the Interpretation of the law"
What Interpretation did the supreme
court Put upon the law?" he was asked.
Under the supreme court decision they
would allow competitive points better
rates than non-competitive points in the
same direction and over the same lines,
and the question devolves itself on the
basis of the railroads handling their bus
mess en- the same principles as an indi-
vidual or private corporation selling
cheapest to the man that buys the great
est quantities. Hence. the cheap rates for
the heavy tonnage centers."
ION what points decided by the COM
mission do you take issue?"
There are few points decided by the
commission that in my humble opinion
are especially open to criticism. On page
53S OF the opinion we read:
when railroads were first built in
that section (meaning the vest. lines
reaching tho Missouri river at Kansas
City ended there. Lines extending west
from Kansas City began there. Rates be-
tween points east and west were natu-
rally made by adding together the rate
to Kansas City and the rate from it. The
same was true of other points on the
Missouri Pacific, which thus became
basing line. This led to industrial and
commercial development along the river,
notably at Kansas City, which i'll turn
brought about the establishment of trans
portation conditions, which cannot now
be disturbed without great injustice to
the existing order of things. We remem-
Der, when very small boy, of reading
about the Robber Barons, who built
castles on the Rhine and levied taxes on
the shipping passing up and down the
river. The Turpins and Hoods of Eng
land practiced about the same thing on
the highways. The Teuton DESTROYED the
power of the Barons,. and the shipping
Itt
passed up and down without being mo-
Tested. The Saxon freed himself from
the Hoods and Turpins and the roads
were free. Don't you think (since the
finding of the commission in the Wichita
CASE, that those old Teutons and Saxons
should rise from the dust and apologize
to the commission for disturbing the.
then. existing order of things?'
.cQuoting again from the decision on
page $50. which reads: The Wabash
leads from Kansas City to Chicago. or to
the eastern seaboard The Kansas City
Southern runs from Kansas City to the
Gulf, without touching the grain fields
of Kansas. The Union Pacific can carry
1t only to Kansas City. The Wabvgash
cannot participate in its transportation
unless it has been brought to Kansas
City, and goes from there to the east.
while the Kansas City Southern can de-
rive no revenue unless il is carried to the
south This being so, these lines have
insisted that the rates be so adjusted as
to permit the movement of the traffic in
any direction. Just mark the words
have insisted" The Wabash Alton.
Maple Leaf and the Kansas City South
ern, foreign corporations that they are.
paying nothing toward the state. have
insisted that the Kansas farmer be taxed
that their roads may pay dividends. How
do you like it?
ION page 5i3 we read: Originally ex
actly the same practice was in vogue at
Kansas City so far as the rate is con-
cerned. Grain was shipped in at the local
rate and subsequently sent out at what
was known as the balance of the through
rate. The abuses which grew up under
the system were so fragrant that the
practice was condemned by this cotnnis
sion and the carriers ordered to destst.'
Since then. and possibly in consequence
of this order, the proportionate rate has
been substituted. 1t seems peculiar that
the commission should issue an order Gre
ating monopoly at Kansas City. there
By building up industrial and commercial
development which cannot now be dis
turbed without great injustice to the ex-
listing order of things Funny. Is II not
The commission should pose as the crea-
tors OF monopoly. but nevertheless il Is
so Wichita asked fer some OF this mo-
nopoiy ard they refused. Hard-hearted
are they not? ID you mark the word
fragrant" as applied to the abuses II
Kansas City. when that road was working
on WIchitos present hasisr In those
DAYS Kansas City would go x, the man
asement OF road and demand some
thing. II the demand was not conceded
and the road or roads Gin the language
or the horsema1l should refuse 20 pun.
Kansas City would proceed 10 put water
in their cars. tie strings around them.
kindle fires under them. use boneset. n
fact any old thing liz the shape OF 4
boycott Until they had al the roads
throwing fits OF 'fagTaEcy. Their the
commission was called IN. the animals
were i-ealed. peace Ts!gus ARID TIE no
nopoiy Is III assured fact. ! surmise that
Wichita did not understand how 70
handle the animals II they had used
Kansas City's so1iSey method and thrown
them into q IL OF nagrnaCy. then called
IN the commission. everything would have
been all right The Commission can cure
fagTarey: they did al Kansas City. ard
can 90 il AZ Wichita. e you inst proceed
right
John Graz. colored aged x az Guthrie.