The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-03
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Western Farmers Not Satisfied
With Grain Rate Reductions.
Organizing Clubs to Make De-
mands Known.
THE BOARD.
Pratt County Shippers Pass
Some Resolutions.
Also Want Anti Pass Law in
Kansas.

AuASdSe
There is a grass root movement,
originating in Pratt county. against the
recent reduction of 5 per cent in grain
rates ordered by the state board of rail-
road commissioners. A Farmers, NIer-
chants. and shippers club of 1900
members has been organized in Pratt
county, for the purpose of bringing
about a movement throughout the state
among the farming classes for a change
in the present membership of the state
board of railroad commissioners, and
further reduction in grain rates.
The plan. is to organize similar clubs
in every county of the state. If this plan
/ materializes, the farmers clubs are
likely to be an important factor in the
next state election, 50 lar as the board
Of railroad commissioners is concerned.
Resolutions adopted by the Pratt
county club at meeting held December
so denounce as 'an insult to the intelli-
gence of the grain growers of Kansas
the recent reduction Of per cent in
grain rates. The plan for the extension
of the organization to other counties is
also outlined. The resolutions say:
We demand that the board of rail-
l road commissioners of the state of kan
| sas do their duty to the people by so
changing the railroad freight rates as
to give the people Of this state as low
rates as are in force in any other sec
/ ton of the country, using as basis the
| tonnage of freight, the mileage of road
and the actual cost of construction op-
| Grafton and maintenance
/ we condemn the action of the state
/ board of railroad commissioners in the
grain freight rate hearing, before that
/ board in Topeka, in ordering the rail-
/ rf71cr in 10 F9fa f, a1~a
! reduction OF per cent on the grain
/ freight rates now in force as an insult
to the intelligence of the grain growers
] of Kansas.
we condemn the action of the rail-
4 roads in their threats to intimidate the
millers of this state, and we condemn
! the millers of Kansas for accepting the
! railroads ultimatum, and deny the
/ right Of the millers to interfere with
4 the demands of the people for low
/ eriDg and revision Of freight rates.
Want an Anti-Pass Law.
1--WE strongl object and protes to
/ the issuing Of free passes and other
valuable privileges or concession by the
railroads to individuals or corporations
and to legislative and executive Off
/ GERS of the state, as it has its influence
| to prevent the passage of fair and
/ just laws by our legislature or the en-
4 forcement of such laws as do now ex-
ist on our statute books covering rail-
/ roads and we demand that the next
session of the legislature of Kansas
pass law against this system of brib-
cry and make it a penal Offense for a
railroad management to offer or issue
free transportation or grant special
! privileges or concessions to any indi-
V1dual or corporation within the state,
and also a penal offense for any indi-
/ vidual or corporation to accept free
/ transportation or any special privileges
from railroad company, and be it
/ further
Resolved, That we hereby request
and petition the farmers, local mer-
/ chants and shippers of all other cOun-
/ ties in Kansas to organize into county
| organizations at the earliest possible
date, to the end that state federation
! OF such country associations may be
| affected and with the power and au-
| thority thus in our hands we will be
able to force the transportation COM
! panies doing business in the state of
! Kansas to Teadjust their freight tariff
rates in this state on the basis of
freight rates enforced east of the Mis-
| souri, river"
The Pratt County club elected the
! Following officers: President, D. w.
] Blaine; vice president, Sherman Ban
/ bury; secretary, E. NJ. Black; treas
urer, P. NJ. Gates. The executive com
mittee is composed of D. W. Blaine, E.
NJ Black, A. T. Simpson, F. A. Mueller
and J. c. Baker.
According to the constitution. the
executive committee is the body upon
which rests the responsibility for ac-
tive work. The general membership
seems to be simply held in reserve for
4 action when needed. The following
| are the constitutional duties of the ex-
I ecutive committee: ''It will be the
4 duty of the executive committee to
| deal with all matters pertaining to
/ legislation affecting mem bers of this
| association, freight rates, inspection,
! grades, commission and all things in
| cident to the disposal of grain. stock
/ farm products and merchandise, and
! in fact anything of vital interest to the
| farmers, merchants or shippers of
Pratt county or the state of Kansas"
D. W. Blaine of Pratt, has quite a
reputation for starting things" in
/ Kansas. and he may have started
| something in this Farmers club which
/ Will prove popular. If the Organiza-
/ ton of such clubs becomes general
/ throughout the state, il will cause the
| politicians to sit uD and take notice
/ The railroads, too, Will be interested,
! ing a word to say about the selection
of the next board of railroad commits
sioners.
The Pratt cour ty club has endorsed
! the work of Carr Taylor. attorney for
/ the board of railroad commissioners,
so it is evident that their fight is di-
rected against the board. Carr Taylor
recommended to the board j reduction
/ of 1914 per cent in the grain rates.
! Commissioners Robson and Walker
I voted for a 5 per cent reduction, and
/ Commissioner WheatIey favored re-
/ duction of Is per cent. The railroad
/ companies enlisted the support of the
/ millers in their fight against 4 reduc-
4 ton. and threatened that they would
withdraw from the millers the milling
/ in transit privilege in case Of any re-
duction.