The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-07
MURDOCH is HEARD.
Kansas Congressman VIKINGS Time
From Hepburn for a Speech.

Washington. Feb. Victor Murdoch
OF the Seventh Kansas district succeed
ed in breaking through the wall Hep
burn of Iowa tried to build around him
and spoke for nearly half an hour on
the rate bill Tuesday Mr.. Murdoch had
sat on the gTidirOn all the day before
and made a demand TO be heard which
the organization could not ignore.
The Seventh district congressman was
not nearly so much embarrassed as
when he delivered his maiden speech.
He had his manuscript in his left hand
and for the most part kept his right
hand in his trousers pocket. He talked
directly at Hepburn and GICSNenOrs
who were seated a few feet from him.
The Hepburn bill, he said, was a con-
servative bill framed by a conservative
body in time of great need.
Hill of Connecticut, wanted to know
at the conclusion of MI Murdoch
speech if everything he had said would
rot apply with equal force to the free
silver craze which swept over his state
some years ago.
Il think not, answered MI. Murdoch
who took his seat amid applause and
was congratulated by a number of his
colleagues.
MI Murdoch arraigned the 'conserva-
tive spirit of the house, which. he said,
appeared other than conservative only IN
contrast with the senate. He said:
~Inasmuch as the first measure of this
kind was introduced more than forty
years ago by Charles Sumner inasmuch
as similar measure passed the house
thirty-two years ago and died in the sen
ate by the way, and inasmuch as the
commission, once exercising this pro-
posed power, made orders affecting
rates, in ten years, in only 100 cases,
the bill is not a rash or hasty step. But
it is characteristic of conservative
body, in a conservative time. hard to
prick through the callous of profound
prosperity. 1t viii enable the commits
sion to do some needed things directly
and other more needed things indirectly
but there are wrongs, wrongs which
have been crying out for remedy Tor
forty years, which it will not reach
'tSilence the clamor of city against
city. market against market, and the
wrongs of the ispropOruOnatety excess
sfve charge on local traffic will remain.
Increasing volumes of through traffic
according to traffic theory. goes to a re
duction of local rates. Go to the tariff
schedules on file and see if the local
rates have been reduced The mogul 10
connective, the larger car. the reduced
grade and Strengthened track have re-
duced the cost of ranspOrtatiOn- Go to
the rate schedules and see if local rates
have shared The per ton per mile rate
has fallen from 941 mills il 1890 to 1-S0
mills in 1904 a magnificent reduction
Go to the tariff sheets and see if the
local rate has participated in it,
Offers Statistics.
Mr. Murdoch submitted tables show
ing increased local rates and he favor
ed a provision in the bill reaching a
regulation of them. He described the
railroad magnate as one standing lin
the exercise of his great power without
responsibility, and asking only uniform
ity when it pays and place Of expe-
ditious redress when it is injured, order
ing in sublime certainty Of his security
that the storm of a national instinct dis
tinguishing between right and wrong be
damned back by a sophists tract and a
pamphleteers' convention.
Mr. Murdoch paid his respects to
Wall street and the gambling mag
Mates He said: THE Independent
railroad mans concern is greater than
our concern over rates. His concern
is over the greed of the Wall street
magnates who are intent upon absorb
ing all lines. Ours ought to be great
if for no ether reason than this, that
nowhere is belief in American ideals
weaker than in the minds of the stock
gambling magnates.
I'VE are told that the men who con-
troll the railroads from New York do
not make the rates and know nothing
about them. The traffic manager is
supposed to make rates But he does
not But under directions he orders
how they shall be made. For year
or two now the traffic manager has
lowered over the situation like a spec
ter. We are asked to look upon him
as a wizard sitting in the midst of a
maze Of commercial intricacies which
nobody but himself can understand.