Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-08-04
PRESIDENT RIPLEY TO
PEOPLE OF KANSAS
Head OF Santa Fe Railway System
Discusses Cent Fares Ably
and Sensply.

Fe Railway system, has addressed a
very interesting and courageous let,
ter to the people 81 the stale OF
Kansas auent the agitation for the es-
tablisnment Of a Two cent per mile
passenger railroad fare now on the
tapis in the Sunliower State. Mr..
Ripley does not mince matters He
uses good logic and sound reasoning
The letter is interesting and reads:
TO the People of Kansas: The
company now owning and operating
the Santa Fe Railway is a little more
than ten years old.
Do you know that in that ten years
the road has been largely rebuilt and
largely re-equipped?
Do you know that the track on the
main lines is as good as any in the
country and better than most, and that
the branches have also been improved
in condition and service as fast as
men and money could be obtained for
the purpose?
Do you know that in order to accom-
plish these results the Santa Fe Com
pany has spent in these ten years in
Kansas alone not less than $17000,000,
part of which was taken from earn
ings that might have been distributed
to stockholders and the rest borrow
ed?
DO you know that the road is fully
worth today the amount of its total
capitalization?
Do you know that in these ten years
, the preferred stockholders have Tecelv-
ed total dividends of only 2S "a per
cent, or 2S7 1-2 per cent per annum,
and that common stockholders have
received but q 1.2 per cent, or a
little over 2 per cent per annum?
Does it strike you that these p6y.
ments are excessive, or that those who
risked their savings in the enterprise
have received too great a rev
| How does this return compare with
those of the farmer or business man
on his investments?
Do you know that in Kansas the
passenger train mileage of the Santa
| F'e has about doubled in the last ten
years and that its trains are as com
| Portable as those run anywhere in
the world?
| Do you know that the passenger
rates are as low as they are in any
state west of Ohio and Michigan, not
withstanding that you have only Is
people per square mile while Illinois
has Sc. Iowa 40 Missouri As?
DO you know that many passenger
trains in Kansas are run at an actual
loss and solely for the accommodation
of the public?
Do you know that while the people
of Kansas would individually save but
little money by reduction OF passen
ger train rates, the effect Of such a
reduction would be keenly felt by the
railroads, because it would reduce
nearly all interstate rates, so that fol
every dollar saved by citizen o
Kansas the railroad company would
lose several thousand dollars?
If you know all these things to be
true, what reason or excuse is there
for demanding that your legislature
pass law attempting to reduce tht
passenger rates?
We think we can demonstrate tt
any court or other tribunal that a re
duction in passenger rates is unjust
and is equivalent to confiscation tt
our property, but we do not want Il
be continually litigating in the effor
to preserve our rights We believe
that when the people know the fact!
the Misrepresentation of demagogi'
politicians and sensational press viii
not be regarded.
The Santa Fe desires to conduct 1t
business fairly and with due regar,
to the rights of the public; it raise
no objection to public supervision an'
reasonable regulation; 1t desires abov
all things to keep out of politics, yet
when attacked 1t must defend isel1
and when the sole platform of a car
didate is that he is "agin the raj
roads," we are fully justified In pre-
testing against his election. That /
what every man and every interes
in the state would do II attacked.
IF my statements are true you car
not believe that the agitation for
two cent rate bill Is justiflable If yo
doubt the statements, or any Of then
can prove them, can prove Their
correct.
do not desire to be drawn into
newspaper controversy with polit
clans or demagogues, but should tht
fall into the hands of any honest vote
who doubts my statements, or de
sires further information, | hold my
self In readiness to answer any CON
munication addressed in good faith.
e. P. RIPLEY,
President A., I. & S. T., Ry. Co.
Chicago, August l, 1906