The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-14
TAKES new TACK
Carr Taylor Will Make Flank
Movement on Railroads.
Has Found Many Glarfng Dis
crepancies in Rates.
WANTS THEM ADJUSTED
How the Blanket System Hurts
Interior Towns.
Kansas City Gets the Benefit Of
Determinations.
WANTS THEM ADJUSTED

One OF the most important cases in
the history of the state railroad board
Is about to be filed by Attorney Carr
Taylor. It will involve a complete ad-;
1udication of the coal freight rate sit
uat1on In Kansas, and will probably re-
suit In the compulsory establishment cf
new rates which VIII shut or the Ions
standing freight graft enjoyed by Kan
sas City, Mo-. at the expense OF everx
other city a similar distance from the
coal fields.
For some tine the tariff clerks en-
ployed by the board have been ct work
compiling tables showing the exact
nature OF the determinations which are
practiced in favor of Kansas City, Mo.
They have placed in Mr.. Taylor'a hands
all the evidence necessary to show that
the coal rates are unfair, and unden
the new state railroad law, the attorney
VIII begin proceedings on his own mo-
ton.
Mr.. Taylor is not yet ready to make
known the exact nature OF the evidence,
but when asked II he was satisfied that
the showing was sufficient to bring
about action by the board, said:
The conditions which have thouehN
existed are plainly demonstrated by the
tables which have been compiled. 4
am satisfied that we can make a good
case"
Anyone can take the tariffs prepared
| by the railroads and with a little studv
figure out some of the most glaring dis
crepancies. For example, the freight
| rates to Kansas City from the southern
Kansas field are covered by what il
known as the blanket rate. For a dis
| tance of 20 miles from the field, the rates
| advance on the mileage basis The re-
naming distance, about 70 miles, is COW
cred by the blanket. 1t costs no more
TO snip coal 140 miles than 1t does to
| ship in 20 miles.
| Coal which is shipped from the fields
In the south may go right through To-
peka and be delivered in Kansas City
at less rate than the freight to To-
peka.
| 1t Is this intoIerable state Of affairs
| which has caused Kansas City to go
forward SO rapidly as q manufacturing
town, while the Kansas towns, closer
to the coal fields. are obliged to strug-
gle for every inch they gain, and fight
which are already doing business. So
long as present conditions continue,
Kansas will never be able to develop
manufacturing industries. It is cheap
fuel which brings factories, and Kan
sas City, Mo-, by the grace of the rail-
road companies, gets the cheap fuel.
The railroads allege that it is neces-
sary for them to make low rate to
Kansas City to meet the competition Of
the Missouri coal mines. They will
doubtless make this plea to the board
of railroad commissioners. The facts
of the case seem to be that this is
merely a fiimsy excuse; that the amount
of competition from Missouri is not a
factor of great consequence, and that
practically all of the coal used in Kan
sas City, Mo-, must come from Kansas.
Regardless of this. however. it is up
to the railroads within this state to give
/ the state a square deal, and II is the
duty of the board of railroad commits
sioners to enforce the laws which are
/ ample to prevent such discrimination.
! The petition for a readjustment Of
rates which Mr.. Taylor will file will
not be long, but it will cover the essen
tial points in the controversy. It will
be served on all the roads which han
die Kansas coal, and will no doubt pro-
woke strenuous fight against it's adop-
| ton. The railroads can be depended
upon to take the case to the last resort
| to win their point.