The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-15
IT IS The BILL.
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have passed maximum rate bills and
! eacn or these states has given the
commissioners power to revise, modify
or amend and do anything but ad-
vance the freight rates.
Under. Section Four of the bill
passed by the house the railroad COM
mission Is given power to supervise
1 all passenger and freight traffic and
the switching of cars from one road
The state of Kansas is handicapped
oy Deing surrounded by states whose
commissioners do make the rates. 1t is
a business proposition of the railroads.
finding that their rates are cut down in
other states, to make all they can in
states which have no regulations. In
iowa the class rate is two-ffths Of that
IN Kansas. In commodity rates the
same relation holds good. In Missouri
the rates are but one half as high as
in Kansas and an order recently is
sued by the railroad commissioners
OF that state will reduce them IA per
cent The commissioners of these states
having these railroad laws had to go
into the rate making business in COM
petition with the rate makers of The
railroads as the commissioners are
made responsible and have the power
of revision.
I'VE had a more drastic bill before.
the house but on account of the wishes
of the administrat ton and others we
made changes. The principal point of
lutS .Diu passed Dy the mouse IS the
giving of power to the commissioners to
institute proceedings on their own mo-
ton.
IF there are a thousand cases of
overcharges under the present law as
many individual cases would have to-
be brought and all of these separate
cases while the very principle is ap-I
plicable to all of the thousand cases.
the railroad commissioners can call
the attention of the railroads to the
overcharges and call on them to make
general change. We think the time
hands of the railroad commissioners
Fight On Smith Bill.
When the anti-discrimination bill
was taken up, it was evident that the
wholesalers and manufacturers Of the
state were opposed to the bill which is
corporation, foreign or domestic, doing
business in the state of Kansas and
engaged in the production, manufac-
ture or distribution of any commodity
in general use"
]. w Adams of Sedgwick, moved to
strike out this provision, and make the
bill apply only to handlers of crude and
refined petroleum.
Mr.. Adams said in support of his mo-
ton: Il want to be heard on this.
am told by our wholesale grocers of
the state that they cannot do business
if the law is passed"
Mr.. Bergman said that Mr.. Adams
is right. This bill should be entitled
An act to drive all wholesalers and
manufacturers out of the state and
build up Kansas City
S. S. Glasscock of Kansas City. said:
IF we do not make this apply to the
general business of the state. we should
not make it apply to anyone"
Speaker Stubs moved that Senator
F. Dunont Smith be asked to explain
his bill The motion carried. He said:
II don't see how this bill can affect
any company doing honest business in
the state No court or charter board
would penalize a corporation which is
honestly competing for business against
a foreign corporation. This is part
of the general scheme of this great
fight which Kansas is making on the
Standard Oil company. You can't af-
ford to not have this weapon, even
though it may hurt a few people. 1t
will help us on coal, flour and salt
will this bill hurt the Kansas
wholesale grocers?" asked Mr.. Klrt-
land.
1T absolutely will not" said Mr..
Smith. IF the Kansas corporations
W. Y. Morgan was opposed to the
bill. He said: Il do not think that
this bill should be rushed through the
house. 1t affects all industries. and
not the Standard Oil alone"
w p. Hackney said: IF yol
adopt Adams amendment you Will /
will be held invalid by both federal
and state courts. 1 am in favor of
choking the life out of every industry,
which is illegitimate. whether it is the
oil trust, the salt trust. the coal trust
or the -four trust"
In reply w. Y. Morgan said that
the bill would choke out the infant
industries Of Kansas
Senator Belts Interviewed.
Senator Belts was asked to meet with
or
to discuss the railroad bill passed by !
the house.
The Topeka men, all shippers and rep
resentfng some of the largest concerns |
in the city, called on Senator Belts in |
the capacity of his constituents The |
meeting was held in a. committee room |
in the state house shortly before noon |
Major T. J.. Anderson made the prin-
cipal talk in behalf OF the shippers |
Ma for Anderson said in part: Senator |
Belts, this meeting of some OF the bust /
ness men of Topeka is called to talk /
with you concerning railroad leg1SId- |
ton Recent developments snow tna1 |
the Santa Fe is no longer an independ- /
ent but is controlled by the one man |
who now controls nearly all the ra1I-
road systems Of the countr- There has |
been a great change of sentiment |
among the business men now that our |
principal railroad is in other hands ana |
it behooves US to look out Tor NO l.
The house passed railroad bill, which |
in my judgment is very milo compare |
with the railroad laws of other states /
IT is believed by the business men that |
the senate should support this bill We |
think that you. as chairman of the rail- |
road committee. should see that the Dill /
is taken up and passed
Senator Belts said: "a paper said /
that I was lodging yesterday when 1 /
was away was not. I went to Man
haitian to look after a contract to be let
there. I want to be fair. I know we
nav foo much freight and am willing /
to to- work tH to remedy that but I don't
think we should take all the powers