The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-04
VALUE OF PUBLIC GOOD WILL.

Doubtless the eminent gentlemen
who run the railroads of the country
know more about the intricacies of
the railroad business than does the
public at large, but to outsiders it
looks as though the railroad COM
panies have made a mistake in fight
ing an emergency two-cent fare prop
osition.
The contention of Kansas is that as
long as other states are enjoying a
two-cent rate pending the final deter
mination of the fairness of that rate
in the courts, Kansas people ought to
be given the same rate by the rail-
roads; and just because the Kansas
legislature last winter accepted the
mileage book plan proposed by the
railroads, with the understanding that
the fiat two-cent fare question would
be left for the railroad commission to
investigate, and that in the meantime
the issue would be brought to speedy
determination in neighboring states
in view of the fact that Kansas was
decent and fair with the railroads last
winter, it appears unfair for the rail-
roads now to take advantage of that
fact and refuse to place Kansas on an
equality with other states.
1t is reported that some roads were
rather inclined to grant Kansas a two
cent rate some time ago, with the un-
Outstanding that the old rates would
be put back if the two-cent fare did
not stand in other states. This would
have been satisfactory. Kansas is not
asking anything unfair. If the two
cent rate is unjust to the railroads,
Kansas will not demand that it be
II, l,rf I'M
her people ought to be treated as we'll
as her neighbors. Kansas treated the
railroads with great consideration last
winter, considering what they got
elsewhere, but it seems that the rail-
road managers do not appreciate it.
AS stated, it is rumored that some
railroads favored giving Kansas the
two-cent rate some time ago; but be-
cause one or two roads objected, all the
roads stood together to fight the two
cent fare emergency order.
While the}eminent gentlemen who run
the railroads may know their business
thoroughly, it is evident that they do
not yet appreciate the full value of pub
lie good will. While some of them are
apparently learning along those lines,
old Commodore vanderbilt's famous
the-public- be-damned attitude is still
entirely too evident. The friendship of
the public is a splendid asset for rail-
road as we'll as for merchant, and the
road that appreciates and makes volun-
tary concessions to the public will get
along much better than the road that is
constantly quarreling with and trying to
get the better of their patrons. If those
roads that leaned that way had volun-
tarily given Kansas two-cent rate, re-
gardless of what some other road might
have done, they would have gained
tremendous advantage in the public
favor-and incidentally they would have
got the business.
Instead of doing that, the recalcitrant
roads were allowed to dictate, and all
the roads combined to fight the emer-
gency rate. This tendency of the roads
TO combine against the public drives the
public to combine against the railroads.
Now, even If the roads do put in an
emergency rate when ordered by the
railroad board, without a further con-
test. they will lose that public good will
that would have been theirs had they
done 1t voluntarily