The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-23
TO ADJUST RATES.
Paul Morton to Visit Topeka
Murdock's Story.

1Hy young man Irlends my Kansas
boy friend. this story is for you. Read
it carefully. think it over when you
go to bed tonight. and re-read it when
story OF everyday life.
Not very many years ago, a tow
headed boy was living on farm in
Nebraska, sod busting as the boys
say; and there was a lot of work to do.
Times were hard and all that but this
tow-headed boy did the very best he
could. He had no bad habits. was big
and strong and ambitious, and it was
not long till he had a job of his own.
About this same time a Kansas lad
was an office boy in Topeka; but he
somehow got the idea-any boy can get
the same idea-that he would go to the
'front.' He did his work well. and
learned to do the things his boss did.
and in short time the office couldn't
get along without him.
About this same time another Kan
sas boy went sailing up and down
through Ell Dorado as a ''brakie'' on a
Santa Fe freight. his run being from
Emporia to Arkansas City: and no
doubt many diSh-rag was waved at
him out Of the back kitchen Windows
as he went through the towns on top of
the cars, as he was, doubtless, a mighty
good looking young man. But he also
had the ambition to go up to the head
and 1t was not long before he began
to climb towards the top.
There was another young man who
had trade. worked hard, stuck close
to business and kept clean in mind,
body and soul, who also had the desire
to go 10 head.
All these four boys knew very well
that there is lots of room at the top,
Just as you know, my boy friend. There
is honor and glory and happiness at the
top and the only way to get there is to
be industrious and clean.
was walking I'D the street in To-
peka Saturday morning and on the cor
ner opposite THE Copeland" met Capt.
FRANK Montgomery, of the Kansas
City Journal W. J. Black general boss
of the Santa Fe passenger department,
and another gentleman. Mr.. Black,
VINO, by the way, is a complete exempli-
f1catlon of what a Kansas boy can do,
asked me when I was going home. 1
told him On mo. II He asked the
other out-of- town man on what train
he was going. He said on mo. 81
by the way" continued Mr. Black, "a
private car is attached to No. L. and
invite you to ride as far as Florence
with the officials occupying it, sAnd
we both accepted the very kind invita-
ton. Dinner, or lunch, was announced
as the train pulled out.
AT the head of the table sat Mr.. Paul
Morton, vice president of the Santa Fe
road, formerly the "tow-headed Ne
braska boy At his right sat Hon. E.
w. Hoch, who has earned the honor
heaped upon him by being honest, in
dustrious and living a decent life. To
his right sat George T. Nicholson, the
Topeka "office boy who is now pas
senger traffic manager of the road;
while to my left was seated the
"brakie," Mr.. w. B. Biddle, freight
traffic manager of the road.
These railway people were going to
the Pacific coast for a little outing"
the only one they get in a year. And
now, my boy friend, listen 1t was de-
veloped at the dinner table that none
of these western boys" have the drink
or smoke habit. They all live mod
crate. temperate lives, except in the
matter of work; and to them twelve or
days work. And the great Santa Fe
| system-it can't we'll get along without
| them. They have all worked hard and
made themselves Indispensable to the
successful operation Of the road.
No sooner was the cloth removed
than Vice President Morton introduced
the subject of the relations of the
Kansas people to the Kansas railways.
The questions of coal. grain, lumber
and stock rates were thoroughly gone
over Mr.. Hoch pointing out in a very
comprehensive manner where shippers.
or consumers, believe a readjustment
of the tariff rates ought to be had. Mr..
| Hoch handled the subject well and
was politely stiff in presenting the
facts from the peoples standpoint.
| Mr.. Morton finally said he would take
up the question of return passes for
stock shippers, at once, and that in his
opinion the roads would provide free
transportation home to shippers, or at
tendants who accompany stock to
market.
He also makes another statement which
will prove of great and lasting benefit to
everybody. He says he will, on his re-
turn home, visit many of the principal
towns on the line of the Santa Fe road
| in the state for the sole purpose of meet
| ing all classes of shippers, to discuss traf-
fic rates, hear complaints and all that,
with a view of correcting any unjust dis
ordinations in the matter of passenger
or traffic rates. And this he will do
Learning that Mr.. Robson, Republican
nominee for railway commissioner, was
on the train, he was invited to the car
and the discussion was continued at in
tervals until the train arrived at Flor
ence.
But this last is not of interest to my
boy friend to whom this story is written.
/ The bright, clean, industrious young man
| is in demand. He is wanted at any price
by every business interest of the country.
And the demand will continue for all
time. The clean, honest boy is a fortune
unto himself in any avenue of life: and
| if in writing this little story of actual
! life, I will have inspired one boy-just
one-to cut out of his life everything that
is useless, worthless, or degrading, and
start him on the clean, square road to
the top, I will be repaid.
| u T,irI,f