The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-05

blinded by this pottage, however,
think we should consider the charac-
ter and the acts of the man above the
glamor of the debris
Railroads Favor Curtis.
You stated in your letter." was
suggested, that Mr.. Curtis was In
your opinion a railroad candidate.
What makes you think so 20
There Is nothing that makes or
rather compeIs these thoughts, they
just come easy" replied Mr.. Edwards.
"One reason is that during my travels
of the past six months / have learned
by sitting close to the men who were
effected with political microbes and
who rode on passes that they were
for Curtis, that those who purchased
tickets at the window were not for
him. This may be co-incident.
But thought is enlightened when
passes are for Mr.. Curtis and
those who pay out honest money
for tickets are for some one
else. 1 notice that the real railroad
newspaper; by railroad newspapers l
mean the papers, for instance, that
give the account of a wreck as though
it were a picnic; or those which advise
the public in the largest of type to go
away for the winter that the rates are
reduced; or the papers which assures
one that the compound word railroad
and people are synonymous terms, one
and the same thing and always will
be. These are also the newspapers
that give assurances that the car
shortage is only an imagination and
delusion and can be cured by one
treatment of mental science. 1 notice
that all of these papers support Mr..
Curtis. This may be only his mis-
fortune.
Long Crowd Is for Curtis.
"At Parsons in July 1 read that Mr..
Curtis said something of this character;
that the railroads defeated him for sem
ator four years ago or may be that they
elected Senator Long or that the Union
Pacific was active to his overthrowing.
Since that time have observed that it
develops that almost each railroad at
torney and most of special interests
that were for Mr.. Long then are for
MT. curtis now. The Long men, a few
only of whom are short now, seem so
unanimously united in favor of Mr..
Curtis that it would not be surprising
when the roll is called for the vote on
senator to learn that a few in respond
ing may say, Long instead of Curtis.
During the years he has been in office,
railroad rates have increased, express
rates advanced.
Local freights rates and through
freight rates are charged for at about
the same price per car, no difference.
First and Fourth class rates while put
in different columns on the rate sheet
are charged for at about the same
amount on ones freight receipts. Trains
are longer and delivery of goods slow
er. Railroad equipment has been hard
er to locate and to use. During all
this time shipments have been routed
practically in directions agreeable with
the wishes of the railroad companies,
and not In accordance with the desires
of the consignor or the consignee This
feat Is accomplished by the railroads
without argument or recourse. BY eth
er lowering the rates on the course they
extortionate charges in the other direc-
ton. l am not icensuring Mr.. Curtis
for these conditions or for not noticing
these facts. Pa a m merely reading the
lines In his reply which say L chal-
lenge those who oppose me to point to
a single railroad measure where L vo-
ted against the interests of the people
in favor of the railroads.
THE sense would have been as
complete had Mr.. Curtis omitted the
word challenger and would oproba bly,
have been more intel1igibfe had it
been reversed, to- read: I challenge any
against the interests or the railroad
and In favor of the people. I have no
knowledge of the time or place where
he has raised a voice in protestation
against the advancement OF rates If
it has been raised it was too weak to
produce an echo Further he saws
that he cites the people of Kansas to
his record on railroad legislation
without citing. Only as one interested
regarding equitable freight rates and
shipper has had fair chance with the
railroad companies, ask for the
pages and numbers of the congress
sional record containing all these en-
counters and the occasions on which
he raised himself in derense of the
people.
Mr. Curtis states that he worked in
cessantly day and night in behalf of the
Hepburn bill and that he was the whip
that dashed the bill through congress-
1t seem that If Mr.. Curtis had worked
more untiringly for the bill and less
ceaselessly getting it through congress
that his finger prints would show on the
proofs If not on the final pictures.
know OF no amendments or even a pas
sage or phrase in this bill Incorporated
there by Mr.. Curtis which Is beneficial
to any cattle dealer, to any mercantile
shipper or to the grain merchant. There
are many periods in this measure that
punctuate sentences where only COM
room for more to follow.
so far have learned and by experience
that Kansas seems to have received from
this measure higher railroad rates in
many places. No lower grain rates, and
in spots higher ones. Short and long
hauls stu require practically the, same
souri, river points and against the inland
Kansas towns still continue. Railroads
with the revenue they need and
with no heed of the actual value of the
Our interstate board of
helpless and value1ess as they were pre-
vious to the Hepburn law. Common car |
riers. SO far as the shipper is concerned
are a strange to each other as foreign |
ers. These are probably sufficient sug-
been done for the shipping interests of |
Kansas by the congressman who was