The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-18
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Railroad Interests Would Keep Com
mercial Club Neutral.

The railroad interests are making the
appeal of their lives to the business
men of Topeka to have them vote in
favor of keeping the Commercial cluD
neutral in the present fight in the legis-
lature. to empower the board of rail-
road commissioner to correct upon their
own motion or complaint any existing
determinations or extortions in the
freight rate charges in Kansas
This is their trump card, and a sam
pie of the talk which they are making
to the business mon of this city: You
are enjoying jObberS' rates You do not
know what board Of politicians will
do so far as giving you anything better.
You Will lose whatever advantage you
have if any tampering is done. You
had better be satisfied with what you
Representatives Of the Rock Island,
Union Pacific, Santa F'e and Missouri
Pacific. it is said, are out arguing in
this manner. w. G. N Garvey local
freight agent of the Santa Fe Railway
company was at the Commercial club
this morning.
who will speak for the railroads at
the meeting Monday night?" was asked
of him.
L think I shall have that duty" he
replied.
what will you say?" was asked.
Anything to help Topeka was his
reply
''Do you think was asked, that if
the Carver bill is passed, that the busi-
ness interests of this city and the state
will be helped2"
be the case" was his answer. Topeka
has some good jobbers' rates Otto
Kuehne, Charles Wolff, W. F. Jensen,
and George w Parkhurst have told
present rates. They are not making a
fight for a change. What promise have
you Of any betterment? You viii have
three politicians to make railroad
rates That is a business of its own.
II they go to investigating and chang
ing they will disturb the whole system,
and will il be to the betterment and
aid of the Kansas business men? Can
do any of the Topeka business men
enjoy any special advantages or rates %
was asked.
NO they don't" was his reply ''I
did not say that. There are no special
rates. There are jobbers' rates in To-
peka which are open to all of Topeka's
business men. There may be some men
here who are not using them, and that
is probably due to a lack Of knowledge
of their existence"
The special meeting was called for
Monday night, by President Holiday
this morning. The petition for the
gathering was signed by O. R. Maun-
sell, M. c. Holman, Topeka Milling
company. Crosby Brothers, Mills Dry
Goods company, Palace Clothing COM
pany, Marshall Clothing com
pany. Burg f. Zeis, W. NJ. Crosby &
Co, Thomas Page, Mathews & Drech-
SCI
It will mean a royal battle Monday
night The city of Topeka has not
been stirred up to the situation at any
time in its history as it is right now.
Here we have it practically in our
grasp" said E H. Crosby this morn
ing, as he brought the petition for an
other meeting. I'VE have been fight
ing for a bettered condition of railroad
rates for years and years. That IS
what has been the matter with KAN
sas. There are today 112 men in the
house who voted for the passage of the
Carver bill with not one dissenting
voice. Now is the time for US to get
into the saddle. 1t is our chance, and
the business men of Topeka should re-
. liza II .