The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-18

has come under the present laws regu~
lating railroads. We do not think 1t
safe to disturb the present conditions
and ask you to report unfavorably on
this bill"
have said that I was surprised at
this solid opposition to the movene nt
in Kansas City. I repeat 1t. and for
TINS reason, that, whereas, in almost
every other city of its size, the gem
eral sentiment of the largest business
men in the various commercial or
carnations is against it, the smaller
were in favor of moderate regulation.
In Kansas City, however, it was all
one way and ike pulling teeth even
to get an expression upon the question
at least one against the railroad s
side-so loyal evidently We're the
members to the policy mapped out as
advantageous for the city by the Com
merciaI club in secret conclave. Try
as / did for four days, visiting ship
pers of the city's largest products and
articles of commerce. I could get
hardly any one to divulge any COM
plants either in the way of sales. or
determinations that he had, or that
he had ever heard Of. The more
pondered on the situation here the
more inexpheable it became, as I had
just been in st. Louis and other cities
where the movement, although di-
vided, was very much in evidence.
Why They Are Solid.
z
travellers, many of whom are regular
encycIopa of information, I got
some ideas throwing light upon the
local situation. It was told by ore
gentleman, most intelligent business
man, who had travelled for many
years out of Kansas City to the south
west, that away from the city, among
all the towns of Kansas, etc, the SEN
ument was strong against the coptin-
uance of the preferences in rates to
and from Kansas Ftffzv a n
with their oWn-which preferences put
Kansas City in strategic position aE1
IN large part explained her CONNER
cial prosperity. This thought led me
to study with renewed vigor the traffic
problems and complaints of the
country to the southwest, and I found
out as the gentleman told me, that
outside of Kansas City all was not so
serene. And from my further inves-
legations at Kansas CITY I found that
such a general satisfaction with the
present rate adjustment and traffic
conditions as I found among the mem
bers of the Commercial club. I have
already illustrated the great inequaIi-
ties in the rates between Kansas City
and the small cities of Kansas by ref
eFences to the rates to Hutchinson and
Wichita. This same conditions holds
true OF Topeka, Lawrence, Independ-
ence, and all the other small towns
which throughout that vast territory
have sprung up in a night and in a few
years have become bristlfng young
cities.
The problems of Omaha and kan
sas City are so analogous that I shall
deal with them in one letter. The two
cities share not equally but between
them the greatest part of that vast
tonnage which crosses the continent
by rail to the coast as well as that to
supply the country so largely tributary
to them. In the great traffic problems
connected with the movement of
grain, live stock and packing house
products, lumber and coal, both are
vitality interested. and I shall take up
a study of these problems in detail
and try to show how they affect not
only these cities, but as well the entire
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