The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-03
WHAT MORGAN WANTS.
Editor Urges a Better
Railroad Law.

w. Y. Morgan, who will undoubtedly
be elected to the legislature from one
of the Reno county districts, and who
Will probably be one of the leaders in
the lower house, has outlined his ideas
with regard to railroad legislation in
the coming legislature He says the
railroad question is the most important
ore that will come before the legiSla-
ture. He favors a new law which win
not only give the railroad board power
to make equitable freight rates, but
make it their duty to do so.
In discussing the promises made by
the Republicans in their state plat
form, and particularly the railroad
plank, Mr.. Morgan says:
The Republican state platform is
worthy of a careful reading. The parts
of interest are the sections devoted to
state affairs. They are not very strong
and they do not sound as if they
would go ringing down the ages, but
they contain some good promises that
may be developed. They were careful
" prepared and they may mean a great
deal or they may be sighted and made
to mean very little. Unless the Repub-
ican party through the next legislature
and state administration makes them
mean a good deal and writes that
meaning into law, the Republican party
in Kansas will have hard shedding at
the election of 1906.
The most important section in
the platform is that which promises
a stronger railroad law. The people of
Kansas only want fair play. 1t is real
ly to the interest of the railroad to give
them fair play. But with the making
of railroad rates left to the clerks in
Chicago and twisted this Way or that
on account of imaginary basing points,
real combinations and the apparent ne
ceSSity of competition with other roads,
always subject to the bulldozing de
mands of the heavy shippers in the big
cities with strong commercial Organiza-
lions, the present arrangement of
freight rates is about as imperfect, un-
fair, inequitable and ungOdly a collec-
ton of unreasonableness as can be
found.
What is wanted is a law that not
only gives the railroad commissioners
power but makes it their duty to see
that railroad freight rates charged to
shippers in Kansas are no higher than
those charged to shippers in other
states for like commodities under sim
liar conditions. And further that there
shall be no discrimination in favor of
one shipper against another, and no ar
bitrary and unfair rules for the hand
ling of traffic. In brief and in total:
Fair play for Kansas.
This is not a new or untried propo-
sition. Texas, Iowa and. other states
have laws along this line which have
been sustained in the courts and which
make lower rates in those states than
in the state Kansas. Our state has
nothing but weak and featureleSS law
which does very little good even if ac-
There is nothing in the proposed
legislation that any railroad company
should object to. In fact we believe
that the wisest traffic men on KanSis
railroads would rejoice in rate sheet
that would stimulate and build up the
Industries and resources of Kansas,
thus adding to the amount of business
and really increasing the profits of the
companies.
The Republican party makes the
proud boast that it is the political or
ganization that does things. The peo-
rllG of r
along the line of railroad legislation
and not only according to the letter of
the state platform, but the spirit of
the need of the state"
The Lawrence Journal remarks that
Mr.. Stubs has resigned as president of
the Jerusalem Exhibit company at the
Worlds fair, but the circumstances
We're not in any way similar to those
which led to the retirement Of the for
ner president of the company.