The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-31

to pay. Mr.. Biddle says they never
have been as high as they should have
been" That is his opinion. We all
know. however. that at these lower
rates. before the adopting of new
methods, railways made efforts to Sc
cure business at rates less than today
Was Mr. Bfddle working under a delus-
ion when he employed solicitors to Sc
cure business from me at rates 80 per
cent less than today? / don't think so.
1t looks like hard matter to pick out
just what sum in the expense account
of a railway any particular class of
traffic should bear. / suppose the earn
| ings are made by combination of profits,
and in railways as in other things the
cost of the dollar made cannot always
be the same
Referring TO another statement from
| Mr.. Biddle'S article. when he says it is
only the cattlemen who say cattle
rates are too high" From what source
could one expect criticism other than
from those VINO pay the rate? 1t is GER
tainly fair for us to state what we think
to be fact and to try to convince
those who make the rates that our posi-
ton is Correct. Remarks about cattle
rates viii not emanate from brewers or
steel men who use stock cars for coke
shipments, so we ae justified in pre-
senting these things fairly. What the
business end of the cattlemen want is a
consideration of this question from all
standpoints. They are not afraid of the
ton is fully presented Most traffic
manag gers pay little attention to the do
ingS of the rate clerks or assistants at
meetings. They nod approval when
rates are boosted, and some of these
young chaps who are given rate-nna king
power sit up nights to hatch up schemes
where a dollar or two can be added.
Texas cattle rates, for example, have
been raised. and Texas cattle shipments
have been decreased. Is there any re-
lation between the two? For example,
at the Kansas City stock yards the re-
ceipts of Texas cattle for this year to
September 30 are 5000 head less than a
year ago. To the grazing country they
are 200, 600 less than in 1901. Is there any
connection between these two things?
Mr.. B1ddle makes misleading
statement when he says 1.-The limited
period in which the bulk 90 the bust
ness moves requires extra equipment -
etc. 1t is only necessary to look at the
reports of the various stock yards
companies to see that cattle move the
year around to market at about the
same number per week, and that, I'M
like grain in the fall or fuel in the win
ter, there is no season for beef" as
people eat about the same all the
year.
And last of all. and given the most
space, perhops, he takes up the free
transportation proposition to cattle
shippers. This always amuses me, for,
while a free ticket is a nice thing, the
bother of taking care of the cattle is
great. BY the way, few people know
the original reason for this free trans
portation and the Shouldering onto the
shipper of the care of the lading in
the matter of cattle, something that is
rarely done in other cases Perhaps
the real origin of the free ticket to
cattlemen dates back to the time
when we had no great markets or sure
sale on arrival. Men used to go along
with the beef to take care of it on
arrival at destination, hold it and find
someone to buy it. Perhaps it was
week or even month before the
per would take his saddle horses,
wagons, etc, along and drive many
hundred miles after reaching the end
of hte line, loolkin gfor sale or for pas
ture, as in the old days OF Dodge CITY
Sidney and other well known points.
But what do we find today when we
want to ship, but a cast-iron contract
to sign, in which every possible St1pu-
ways so far as their liability is con-
cerned, both as to the cattle and the
man in charge? Then we have to pay
the freight and pay the shipper as
welI-pay the feed for the cattle ana
for handling them at destination.
know of no other class of freight offer
ed to railways on which the charge for
transportation does not a1So lncluoe
care while in transit And 1, Tor one.
will be pleased beyond expression If
the railways will forever do away with
this free transportation business and in
turn agree to take good care of our
cattle while on the road and charge
us for it on a fair basis. l will gladly
pay, say, 81 per car additional on ship
ments, from Amarillo, Texas, to Rapid
Citv S D. if the railways Will relieve
me of this shipper proposition Ger
tainly that is fair. Now. Mr.. Traffic
Manager if this free transportation
for shippers causes you so much loss
and annoyance, is abused so much,
WHY don't you take care of the stock
Yourself and charge us for it? The
hardest work l ever did was shipping
cattle and have personally gone from
California to Chicago with these trains
I have heard that return passes nave
been abused. but my own experience
does not include any such instance,
and any man working for our company
who would sell or scalp return trans
portation resulting from shipments
made by our company would with the
same breath cease to be an employe,
and they all know it. So, as to that
feature / speak without experience
,et us not beat about the bush in this
matter. but come out and be square, as
know Mr.. Biddle to be from every
standpoint. He is a traffic manager
who wants the rates higher. They
are too low" he says We are another