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

part TO comply with the terms OF us
( charter and the laws of the state, or
whenever, in their judgment, any re-
/ pairs are necessary upon any road or
any addition to the rolling stock Of any
railroad, or any addition TO or change
of its station or station house, or any
I change in its rates for transporting
1 freight. or any change in the mode OF
operating its road and conducting It's
/ business, is reasonable and expedient,
/ in order to promote the security, con-
venience and accommodation of the
public, said commissioners shall inform
such corporation of the imprOveme nts
and changes which they adjudge to be
proper, BY a notice thereof, in writing:
and, in order to fully give the said
board of railroad commissioners the
! power to make the investigation con-
/ templated by the law, the law provides
/ that the board Of railroad commission
ers shall have the general supervision
of all railroads operated by steam
/ within the state and all express com
1 panies, sleeping car companies and all
other persons, companies or corpora
tons doing business as common car
4 riers within this state and shall inquire
/ into any neglect or violations of the
J laws Of this state by any person, COM
pany or corporation engaged in the
business of transportation of persons or
/ property therein, or by the officers
agents or employees thereof, and shall
also from time to time carefully ex-
anime and inspect the condition of each
and the manner of its conduct and the
management with reference to the pub
lie safety and convenience.
These large powers and duties con-
ferred by law upon the board of rail-
road commissioners. If properly admin
4 istered require the members of the
board to practically devote their whole
time in such work.
/ With but few exceptions, the rail-
road commissioners of this state have
! not made themselves diligent in the
/ performance Of the duties Of their re-
spective offices; and, although it has
been within the common knowledge OF
the shippers of this state that the
freight rates charged by the railroads.
of the state were excessive, extortionate
and in many instances grossly dtscrfrn-
native, the members Of the board OF
railroad commissioners have gone ahead
attending strictly to their own private
business and absolutely ignoring and
neglecting the business of the public.
The time has come in this state when
the people should be Informed as to the
actual conduct in this great depart
ment OF state.
The fact is the present board of rail-
road commissioners has made but little
. attempt to comply with the law, and
has given only a small portion of its
time to the state in the performance
of its duty. It has omitted to make
inspections Of railroads or investiga-
tions as to freight charges and the con-
duct of the respective railroads within
the state, Notwithstanding the fact that
complaints are heard on every side.
The law permits the board of railroad
commissioners to employ secretary, at
a salary Of 81, 500 year. and a stenog-
Tapher, at a salary of 81 200 q year.
These two employees keep the Office of
the board of railroad commissioners, in
the state capitol. open during the BUSH
ness hours of each week; but the board
of railroad commissioners has never in
structed these employees to make any
Investigations or prepare tables of COM
parisOn between the rates charged in
other states and the rates charged with
in the state of Kansas. The only work
of this character that has been done
was the work done by the stenOgrapher
for the board in compliance with the
Stone resolution passed by the legisla-
ture of 1905.
Criticises Stone Resolution Report.
The legislature of 1905 provided a con-
tingent fund of IS. 900 per year for the
use Of the board Of railroad commits
siOners in furthering the business Of the
public before the board. None of this
contingent fund was used by the board
except in the employment Of a stenOg-
rapher during the compilation Of the
report upon the Stone resolution.
The board of railroad commissioners,
in order to destroy the intended effect
of said resolution, and without doubt
believing that the totals only would be
read by the people, showing whether the
rates SHOWN We're higher OF lOWcE III
the states named in the Stone resOlu-
ton, viz. Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri,
Illin1- S and Texas, and for the purpose
of making these totals appear to the
advantage of the railroad companies
within this state (fOr there could have
been no other purpose or ereason for
deviating from the mandate of the
Stone resolution), inserted the state of
! Colorado, which has very high freight
rates, because of its very expensive
traffic conditions caused by the expen-
sive construction and maintenance of
railroads and the transportation Of
freight through the mountains of that
state.
The board Of railroad commissioners
did not employ any expert to go into the
states, but simply prepared blanks and
forwarded them to certain railroad
companies operating in the states above
named and requested the reports.
The Information furnished was not
under oath and was merely statements
of rates furnished by the railroad com
panies upon the request Of the board
of railroad commissioners.
None of the contingent fund of 5000
per year, which might have been used
for the purpose of getting absolutely
accurate information, was used by the
board in the procuring of necessary in
formation for the compilation Of the re-
port required by the Stone resolution.
The board, in making UP this report,
only employed an extra stenographer
for a period of one month and a half.
The contingent fund of $4,000 given
by the legislature to the board was in
tended for use: 1t was not intended
that it should remain unused In the
treasury of Kansas. The amount is
small and insignificant compared to
the contingent funds appropriated by
the legislatures of other states for
their respective commissions. For IL
lustratiOn: The state of Minnesota
appropriated $40 600 per annum as a
contingent fund to its commission
and made an additional appropriation
of $4,000 to be used by the commits
sion in ascertaining the actual cash
value of the railroad properties of the
state. II the board of railroad com
missioners of Minnesota had adopted