The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-26
solute, we had established our authority

solute,' we had established our authority
over congress.
1 Referring to your hope of relief under
the common law, we will ask you to ex-
anime your shipping bill, on the back of
which you will find in small type (agate)
| a contract in which you agree to re-
| lease us from all obligations as COM
mon carriers, and this justifies the re-
mark in my-letter that railroads are no
| longer common carriers. With these ex-
| plantations which we have made to save
you the expense of a hopeless litigation
and assuring you of our high personal re-
gard, 1 am your obedient servant,
JOHN DOE, Claim Agent
We would give few samples of actual
correspondence between claimants for
damages and the railroads. but we do not
want to introduce personal matters into
a question of such vast public import
ance; one which presents so many vul-
nerable points when treated in general
terms. The expression .'our legal depart
ment has ruled that We are not liable
is an actual quotation from not only one
but many letters in answer to claims for
damages, and the whole hypothetical let
ter is entirely justified by the legal pro-
lection with which the railroads have fin
ally fortified themselves.
AS to the purpose of these railroad
visits there can be but one opinion. The
man was not acquainted with the facts
who insisted that these visits Were
great compliment paid to shippers and
particularly to Wichita, and that these
n rirlor richa vic 10 rraa -ad
with the greatest consideration; that
every effort should be made to please
them. that business matters should be
discussed with caution and no demands
made that could give offense. A short
step farther and it might be considered
vulgar to discuss business matters at all
with them; the people might form in pro-
cession and march solemnly around this
representative of the controlling power
of the nation, and view it with the rever-
ential awe which our near relatives
across the sea accord to their rayol dude !
We have come to learn after quite a |
protracted experience on earth that |
alteration is largely though unconsciously |
a matter of commerce with wider range |
of prices than are marked on staple COM |
modities. For example, a smile from a |
railroad president is quite enough to Sc
a word to another, a fiattering talk with |
a brilliant boquet of compliment to an
other-a trip pass to another and an an
nual to another. These prizes are cheap
and are always kept in stock-other
goods more costly and more difficult to
obtain must be ordered in advance. If
man wants to go to congress he can't
expect to step into a railroad office and
ind his suit ready-made. 1t takes time
10 matter what services are offered in
'eturn, and in the case of a United States
senator in Kansas. it required many
years. but it came as sure as an eclipse
zones when predicted. Judges work is
'ery SLOW the ermine, like the weasel.
S elusive, and his fur is white only in
winter Besides there is a traditional
lignity about such job that requires
1t is bad form to drive
lorses faster than a walk when hauling
hearse though the vehicle may be out
# commission and in use hauling garden
ruck
But let us join the procession doing
Wichita, and get smile possibly a bo-
uet While We stopped to moralize, a
a bit of senility, the procession has left
IS, and all the best prizes such as spe
ial rates or special promises which are
heaper and seem to satisfy some as
veil as performance, have been given
ut. Here is a big man making a big !
owl and is likely to tear up your track
'lacate him at any cost, give him a ,
ound trip pass to Valley Center. These
eople must all be seen-that is the OBJ
ect of the meeting.
But let us drop figures of ridicule and
ddress ourselves to the vital part of the
lost important industrial problem of our
me-
Suppose the purpose of these visits had
cen as pretended to ascertain the needs,
not necessarily the wants. of your pa
IONS, and to provide "a remedy in every
ase. Suppose you should make rates
" Wichita that. while fairly compensat-
* the carrier, would bring prosperity
, industries now paying more tariff than
the tariff will bear" Suppose you carry
Ir grain to Galveston at the same rate I
lat you haul il from Missouri river
1ints to Galveston. you have still failed s
, strike at the root of the disease. The
alady is constitutional and cannot be
Ired by temporizing local treatment
hese railroad visits are significant-not
the interest of commerce only so far as L
odern politics have become CONNER is
al quantity and the railroads have be- n
me and are recognized as the controll- f;
z political factor. f
The great Republican party boasting Ii
its direct descent from Lincoln and a
ltering upon the campaign as the anti h
achine reform party. has held its NOM
ating convention. and the result could h
I'VE been as well written before US after Ia
e performance. The railroads domnat- h
uIuUE, N