The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-26
NOT FAIR, he SAYS
President Ripley, of Santa Fe,
Talks of Situation.
Un-American for Government
to Attempt to Fix Rates.
FAYORS REGULATION.
Such as Would Prevent Dis
ordinations Is Proper.
With Conditions of the
Santa Fe.


E. P. Ripley, president of the Atchi-
son, Topeka. & Santa Fe railway, is op-
posed to any legislation by congress
which viii give the government, or a
commission Of the government. the alb
soIute power to fix railway rates.
Mr.. Ripley believes in such regulation
by the government as will prevent dis
ordinations and other unlawful prac-
tices but when it comes to the govern
ment fixing rates he is unalterably op-
posed to 1t and characterizes such a
proposition as "un-American.''
During Mira Ripley's visit in Topeka
today for the purpose of attending the
annual meeting of the stockholders of
the Santa Fe he was asked for an ex-
preston of his opinion on President
RooseveIt's recent pronunciamento on
the government control of rates in his
speech at Raleigh. N. c.
"I have not read that speech yet .
said Mr.. Ripley, "but my understanding
is that the presidents ideas on the ques-
ton are practically the same as they
originally were"
"Weu, what are your ideas on the
general proposition of governmental
control Of rates?" Mr.. Ripley was
asked.
ct am opposed to any interference by
the government with any business enter
prise" he replied.
Calls 1t UnAmerican.
when the government proposes 70
entertain proposition" continued Mr..
Ripley. (which viii affect the incomes
of railroads, and when it will not have
TO meet the consequences that the rail
hot ie q T0VNnnCifI0n
which does not seem fair to me 1t IS
un-American."
eff the government is going to take
absolute control of railroad rates II
should take control of the roads and
stand the consequences
s'I believe in the regulation oy tne
government of railroad affairs so as to
prevent DETERMINATIONS and other un-
lawful practices, but for the govern
Hnent to take it on itself to fix rates.
that is q proposition to which 1 am
unalterabIy opposed
Concerning the conditions on the
Santa Fe Mr.. Ripley said that every
thing was in fine shape. He emphat-
ically denied the reports that the
Santa Fe was about to purchase the
! Fort Smith & Western or the Midland
Valley, or the Texas Central roads.
These reports, he said, were the re-
suits of fertile imaginations.
Asked as to whether or not the eX-
ecutive board of the International AS
sociation of Machinists had made over
lures to the officers of the Santa Fe
looking toward conferences for the set
tIement of the machinists' strike, Mr..
Ripley said:
q believe some men representing
the association have recently seen Mr.
Kendrick You could not call them
conferences. They should have asked
for conferences before they struck.
As for the strike it is a thing of the
past as far as we are concerned.
Mr.. Ripley said it was true that the
Santa Fe contemplated the construc-
ton of a cutoff to connect directly its
transcontinentaI and gulf lines but he
said that it would be two or three
years before such a connection was
built.
a company has been organized in
Texas said Mr. Ripley, "and work
has begun on a short line between
Canon city and PIainviIle, which will
eventually be extended to connect
with the gulf lines, but when the line
will be completed has not yet been de-
cided.
"As to the company's plans for the
coming year I cannot say; we have
several propositions in view but they
are not ready yet for publication. The
past year has been a very successful
one for the Santa Fe and q great
MANY improvements have been made,
but the budget for the coming year
will not be completed until January"