The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-03
Mr.. RIPLEY TALKS.
Breaks Long Silence TO Explain Colo
RADIO Fuel ald Iron Case.


President E p Ripley of the Santa. F'e
railroad has broken silence IN regard 70
the Colorado Fuel and Iron case wherein
it is alleged the Santa F'e is guilty OF pay
ing Illegal rebates to the coal company
This case has attracted considerable at
tention. The railway officials assert they
have not been guilty of an Illegal act, or,
if so, it was an unintentional violation OF
law. The members of the interstate COM
merce commission hold an opposite view
of the matter and the case has progressed
so far that action has been brought by
the government officials at Albuquerque,
N. NJ TO recover penalties from the rall-
road company and the coal company on
account of the alleged violations or the
law.
to talk in regard to this matter and MS
version as outlined to the Los Angeles
Times through a representative Of that
paper at Santa Barbara, where Mr.. Rip
ley is al his winter home, is herewith re-
produced. The Times says:
President Edward P. Ripley Of the San
ia Fe was interviewed by q Times report
er at his residence on upper Garden street
this afternoon. He was busy at his desk
but was willing to discuss the matter.
Have you given this case much atten-
ton. Mr. Ripley?" was asked
No, 1 did not consider it OF much i'm
portance at first. and left it to other Off
ciaIs of the company, but, after the find
ings OF the interstate commerce commits
sion were punished 1 gave the suplect
some thought. If any technical law has
been broken assure you it is not inten-
tional. The tariffs as published did not
show the exact conditions or the rates as
they should have done, and the whole
thing has clearly sprung from q clerical
error or omission.
But if you want my statement for pub
location" he continued, as the reporter be-
gan to write down his words. Z Will tell
you the whole affair, which is as follows :
RipIey's Statement.
about five years ago the Caledonian
Coal company of Gallup, n. M, v hich had
been supplying the Santa Fe v IN part
of its coal supply, entered into Il cOTnbina-
ton with other mine owners at that point
to advance the price of coal to the Santa
Fe company from S1.35 to 81 so per ton, and
actually forced US to pay the latter price
for a time.
1--WE suggested to the Colorado Fuel and
Iron company that it open mines at Gal
lup and promised our patronage in con-
sideration OF continuance of the old
price, viz: s1.35.
of course this injured the CALIFORNIAN
company ana II has been seeking to get
even ever since. In pursuit of this object
it found IoophOle in the Santa Fe armor
in the fact that an error had been made
by some of the latter's SubOrdinates in the
improper or rather careless publication of
certain tariffs, and, having brought the
lapse to that attention of the interstate
an investigation and found the company
guilty OF discrimination
1T, however, attributes an entirely
wrong motive for what was an entfrelv
unintentional error, and this was seized
on by certain enemies of the president in
criticism of his secretary of the navy,
who had been an officer of the Santa Fe
company.
er have been heard Of had it not been for
the political prominence of Mr. Morton
and the desire of the interstate commerce
commission to demonstrate the necessity
to show that great abuses exist in trans
pOrtation business