The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-11-17
OF RAILROAD DIS
CRBfTNATNON.

J L BristOw, ex-fOurth assistant
postmaster general, editor OF the Sa-
lima Journal, in his speech at the New
ton republican blowout last week,
gave these facts 20 show how the rail-
roads need regulation to kill the fav-
Oritism shown;
The rate from New York TO Den
yer on a certain class Of merchandise
IS 1924 per hundred pounds while the
rate to San Francisco on the same
class is 800 per hundred, though the
distance to Denver is q third less than
that to San Francisco, and the cost
OF transportation not half so much
because Of the even grades between
New York and Denver and the steep
mountains beyond The excuse for
this discrimination in behalf Of San
Francisco against Denver Is that san
Francisco is on the sea and the rail-
roads have to make the rate low or
the freight viii move by the way Of
Panama or the straits or Magellan
The rate on baIed cotton from Mem
phis to New Orleans, = distance Of
456 miles. IS II cents per hundred,
while that from Meriden, Miss, to
New Orleans, a distance Of 197 miles,
is SO cents The excuse for this in
equitable rate IS that there is river
competition between Memphis and
New Orleans and the rate is made TO
meet that competition BY cutting
the rates between river points the
railroads have been able to practically
destroy the steamboat business, and
20 do this without loss. have taxed the
interior towns with excessive rates
Thus one Of our greatest industries
has been destroyed and steamboats,
driven from our rivers. and under the
ra
walls the people Of the interior COun-
Try have been taxed to accomplish
this result
For years the rate on sugar from
san Francisco to SaIina was 81 cents
per hundred, while the rate to Kan
Sas City. 1S5 miles further, was 50
cents per hundred. The train from
SAN Francisco carrying the sugar
would pass through Salina, leaving
the car for that destination there, and
carry the other on to Kansas City, 1S5
miles further, yet the purchaser at
SaIina was required 70 pay - cents
per hundred more freight than the
one at Kansas City After much
contention this iniquity was finally
stopped and a fiat rate made for both
points Spokane. Wash. however is
now suffering "A like discrimination
II a dealer in Spokane orders a car
load Of freight from sew York he
pays the rate to Seattle about 500
miles further. plus the rate from Seat
tie back to Spokane; that is, he could
have the goods shipped from New
York through Spokane TO Seattle, 800
miles beyond over a mountain range
5000 feet high, and then re-shipped
back TO Spokane for the same rate
that he is compelled to pay If the
ear is stopped at Spokane. The rate
on baled cotton from Macon, Ga, or
Spartensburg, :. G, via Tacoma,
Wash, to Canton, China, or a dis
lance OF 5000 miles By sand and 5000
by sea, including the cost of trans
ferring from cars to ship at Tacoma,
Is S1.35 per hundred, while the rate
Is 90 cents per hundred, over half as
from Dallas, Tex, to New Orleans,
497 miles, practically all down grade,
much as the rate TO Canton. Many
other examples of like discrimination
and inequalities could be cited, but
they are unnecessary. II Is well known
To all who have given the subject any
thought that thousands of prosper
Gus business enterprises. have been
wrecked and the commercial pros
poets of hundreds Of promising cities
destroyed by railroad discrimination.