The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-28

board OF railroad commissioners, the
S30, 600 appropriated would still re-
main IN their state treasury unused.
Under the ruling Of the Kansas board
If our legislature had given a cont1n-
gent fund Of $50, 600 per year to the
board to advance the interests of the
people. it would be lying unused in
the treasury today.
Roasts Cy Anderson.
The people of this state should I'M
derstand that the employees of the
board have practically nothing to do,
under the managemen Of the present
board Of railroad commissioners. aside
from the making out of the biennial
report of the board.
The secretary Of the board has prac-
1ealIy no knowledge, whatever, of
freight rates and traffic conditions. He
IS not required by the board to make
any comparisons of any kind or char
acter, whatever; but, in order to nurse
his Job and appear to be busy. he
records letters, complaints and other
things in record furnished by the
BOARD, and performs other equally I'M
necessary work. There is no reason
why his Office should not be conducted
upon the same plan as the office of the
clerk or the district court; and If his
once were conducted upon that plan
there would not be two hours of work
each week for the secretary of the
poard- His time could practically all
DC given to the state in the inspection
OF traffic conditions and in makfnglrate
oIllI1arlsons' examining classifications
dn9 IN doing other highly important
ana necessary work in this state.
The duties of the stenographer are
little more onerous, under the pres
ent plan, he being required to take the
dlctatlon of the board. This consists
OF answers to the correspondents of
me poard; and, as all Of the letters
TOT the previous week are answered by
dlctation IN half day, the work of the
stenographer usually occupies from
one 10 two days each week.
Inc stenographer for the board. as a
rule, makes no bluff at appearing to be
pusy; but the secretary for the board.
IN order to make it appear to the cas-
uaI dropper-in that he is extremely
BUSY, scatters papers around over his
table in careless and disorderIy man
ner and keeps in front of him a IA b1et
upon which are numerous. figures. uDon
when ne usually when some one drops
IN IS engaged in putting down more
ngures or IN making additions. These
ngures have no connection, whatever,
with his Office or the Office of the board:
ana some people have been uncharita-
PIE enough to say that they are purely
the product of the secretary's magma
llon- lie IS said, on account of his long
training In adding up these columns of
ngures, to be one OF the most expert
persons in addition in the state
But It is not the intention IF the
Writer OF this article to attack the char
aetef OF either one of the employees of
the board. The secretary is a good man;
but, under the direction of the present
board, he really has nothing to do and
performs no service in considera ton of
his salary Of 81 500. This information is
given for the purpose of explaining to
the people the fact that there is no at
tempt made by the board of railroad
commissioners to carry out the require
ments of the law or to investigate
ira nEnCTfa fiC1 -
Neglected Annual Report.
For several years past the board of
railroad commissioners has not requir-
ed the railroads to make the annual re-
port required by law. The law is man
datory upon the board to require this
annual report: and this annual report is
of very great value to the people of the
railroad commissioners, in enabling
them to ascertain whether or not
freight rates are too high. This is APP
parent to any one who inspects the law.
1t provides that the report shall con-
tain as to every railway corporation
doing business in the state the amount
OF its capital stock, the amount of its
preferred stock, if any, and the condi-
ton of its preferment, the amount of
its funded debt and rate of interest, the
of its floating debt, the cost
and actual present cash value of its
road and equipment, including perman-
efI way, DuDQlQSS ana TOIuDR STOCK
and all rails used exclusively in Operat-
ing the road and all fixtures and con-
veniences for transacting its business,
the estimated value of all other pro-
perty owned by said corporation, with a
schedule of the same not including the
lands granted IN aid of its construction,
also the average amount of tonnage
that can be carried over each road in
the state with an engine of a given pow
also gives the commissioners
IN
such additional statistics of its road and
of its business for the year as may, in
the Judgment of the commissioners, be
and proper.
The supreme court Of this state de-
cided that this sworn report may be
used in evidence. It is apparent that
If the board required the railroads to
comply with this law AND
GIVE ACTUAL INFORMATION AS
TO THE KANSAS ROADS AND
valuable in determining whether or not
the transportation charges of each road
are just and reasonable.
But, Notwithstanding the fact that
the attorney for the board of railroad
commissioners, in writing. requested
the board to require the railroads to
make this report, the board refused to
have the railroads make such report;
and this refusal was made in the face
of the fact that the railroads have re-
fused to put into effect any order made
by the board of railroad commissioners,
reducing rates, and of the further fact
that actions have been commenced by
the respective railroads of the state in
the United States court for the purpose
of vacating each of the orders made
by the board of railroad commission
ers, reducing rates in the cases brought
by the attorney for the board. The
have shown no respect, what
ever, for the board of railroad commits
sioners and are attempting to have the
law under which the board is acting
declared to be unconstitutional; and
vet the board refuses to require the
railroads to make the annual report re-
Quired by law.
How Cases Are Decided.
The attorney for the board of rail-
road commissioners, among others,
commenced cases to reduce rates on
hardware, coal, grain, salt and whole
sale groceries. All of these cases were
of a general nature, reducing the rates
1.a+.xroor7 v,ofr7fe 14-ff11iT7 the Sfata of