The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-29
new FREIGHT RATE
Schedule Completed by the Rail-
road Board.
Provides Reductions of Five to
Forty Per Cent.
WILL SOON BE OUT.
Then Companies May Have
Time to Digest.
WILL SOON BE OUT.
Hearings Before the State Com
mission to Follow.

1t will not be long now before the
proposition of the board of railroad
! commissioners to make a general re-
/ duction of all freight rates in the state
of from 5 to 40 per cent, in some in
stances will be brought to a head.
The members of the board of rail-
road commissioners have completed
their rather monumental task of revis-
! ing every freight rate on every ar
/ ttcIe and commodity transported by the
railroads of the state and which has
resulted in their fixing freight rates on
a distance tariff basis.
This new schedule of freight rates.
/ which has been prepared by the rail-
road commissioners, has been sent to
the state printer. AS soon he gets
out copies of them they will be furnish
ed to the railroads of the state as well
as to the big shippers and when the
parties concerned have had sufficient
will fix dates for hearings on them and
thresh them out in this way with the
railroads and the shippers.
That these hearings Will be wonder
fully interesting, not to say spectacu-
lar and even merry. there is little doubt
for it is believed that the railroads will
fight the proposed schedule on rates
with tooth and nail and such other
weapons as may be handy
These rates that have been prepared
by the railroad commissioners are
great departure over existing rates.
They do away with all commodity, job
bers, special and a variety of other
rates which are in force in the state
and in their stead they fix maximum
rates on every simple commodity and
bit of merchandise or anything else
which the railroads transport
These maximum rates are what the
railroads may charge and thew are
figured out on a distance tariff basis,
that is a certain rate per ton per mile
for a haul of every distance from five
miles up to the greatest mileage that
there is in the state which is between
three and four hundred miles OF
course the railroads may charge less
than these maximum rates, but 1t
is hardly likely that they Will do so as
the new rates generally reduce the
existing rates from five to forty per
cent. These large reductions are on
short hauls where the board considers
the present rates most excessive In
fixed up by the board on the per ton
per mile basis are greater than the
existing rates charged by the railroads |
but these instances are rather few
and far between |
As stated the revision of the rates
by the board of railroad commission
ers takes in every sort of rate on ev-
cry sort of a commodity transported IN /
the state and in this category are the |
rates on grain which were but recent |
ly reduced in the state under an act
of the last legislature
Two Members Are Here.
Frank ]. Ryan and c. A Ryker,
two of the railroad commissioners, /
were at their offices today and 1t was
from them that it was learned that
the new schedule of rates had been
completed by them and had gone TO |
the hands of the printer. They are uh-
able TO state just when ne would nave |
the COPIES of them ready for distri- [
r,,+iop or when the hearings on them /
would be set
1t is likely that after these hearings
there will be some minor revision OF t
the rates as now prepared by the rail-
road commissioners. but no matter t
what the revision is, 1t is understood /
that the railroads will fight them TO /
the last ditch when the commission
ers order them to be put in force and
that there will be long ngnt III the
courts over them Il
In the event of a special session of
the legislature around the nrst OF the
year for the purposes OF enaetlhs pr
mary legislation and doing a rev other
things which a good many politicians
think will come to pass, the rates
as finally adopted and ordered in force T
bv the railroad commissioners, Will De
one of the subjects that will demand |
the attention of the special session.
They may be drafted into bliis ana en-
acted into the statutes of the state /
which would make them cOnSfderaDiy I
more effective than their being put in |
force by an order of the board OF rail-
road commissioners. But the railroads /
would fight the laws just the same in 4
the courts as prominent officials OF the /
railroads running through Kansas.
when told that the board of railroad |
commissioners We're figuring on reduc- |
ing freight rates on a basis OF iron! /
five to forty per cent, have declared /
that such rates would be conhs catory, |
and if such action was taken and nnaiIy |
put in effect. the railroads running 1
through Kansas might as well shut up /
shop.