The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-08-31
a TWO CENT FARE POSSIBLE
Kansas Roads, Counting Out
Passes, Get Only That Now.

ICScutdtiVc lIOiH TIC lOpCkd uiStIlCt,
who has returned his passes to the
railroads, answered the Kansas ques-
tions today. In his letter to the
league Mr.. Stone says in part:
~ am in favor of the nomination
of all officers by a direct vote of the
people. l am in favor of, and at
the last session of the Legislature
introduced and advocated with all
my power, rigid primary election
law, compelling all parties to hold
their primaries on the same day and
prescribing severe penalties for Civ.
ing or receiving anything for politi-
cal services.
All property in the state, whether
it belongs to the railroads or to in
dividuals, should be assessed at its
actual value, and will favor any
law that will bring about that result.
Whether this will increase the taxes
of the railroads or not is not the
question.
A SHOT AT RIPLEY.
Mr.. Ripley says that ga strict and
honest application of this principle
would considerably reduce the taxes
we 1.-THE Atchlson, Topeka and Santa
Fe Railway company now pay"
He says, however, that 'sthe road is
fully worth today, the amount of its
total capitalization. 1t is capitalized
for triAe more than 500, 900 a
mile. There are 2,647.I3 miles of
road in Kansas Exclusive of sid
ings which would make total val
uation in Kansas of SI58,8z7, 500,
whine the road was assessed in 1903
1.-THE latest published report at.only
SI8, 3o6, ,64I or less than one eighth
of the actual value. 1t is my under
standing that other property in the
state is assessed at approximately
one third of its actual value. Equal
taxation should be the simple desire
of all and as Mr.. Ripley says,
There is no reason why it should
be favored in this respect on the
one hand or oppressed on the
other"
l will favor an anti.pass law. This
is the policy of the Republican party
as shown in the recent act of con.
gress, even though the managers of
our state convention refused to per-
NIT such plank to be put into our
platform. The railroads are not
simply private property with which
the owners may do as they please.
They have been granted princely
subsidies and endowed with klngly
perogatives by the people in order
that they might perform public
services. They now admit that,
they should not show any favors in
freight traffic. There is no reason
why the same rule should not apply
to passenger traffic.
PASSES AS POLITICAL INFLUENCE
The great evil of the pass, how
ever, is the political influence thus
given to the railroads. If passes
are prohibited except to actual en-
ployees, caretakers of stock, certain
public officials and few other sim
liar classes the power of the political
boss will be gone and the party may
be managed by the people them
selves.
am in favor of a reasonable re-.
duction Of passenger rates, and il
passes are abolished believe that a
two cent rate will be reasonable.
The roads have made so many
special rates and dispensed so many
free passes to politicians and per-
sonal favorites that they have volun.
tarily cut the revenue of three cents
mile down to only small fraction
over the proposed two cents. This
voluntary reduction amounted in the
aggregate to s4,4sS.oS5.ao. The
people have a right to say that this
munifcent benefaction shall be dis.
tributed equally by a reduced rate
to all patrons of the road and not
handed out as 4 private favor to