The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-07-31

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an indebtedness of $131 900 mile
about twelve times as much as 1t says
it is worth in its report to the State
Tax Commission, and about four times
what it could be reproduced for.
The Union Pacific for the year 1907
paid 1881 ,012 in dividends, or 1884
per mile, 20 per cent of the value as
given to the State Tax Commission
Now upon what amount of money, un
der the decision of the supreme court
is the road entitled to earn a reason
able return? Who knows?
Interstate Commerce Commission Asks
for Authority.
For ten years, in every annual re
port the Interstate Commerce Com
mission has asked congress for author
ity to ascertain the value of the rail
roads. In its report for 1907, the
commission said: "From whatever
point of view this question of valua
ton be regarded, whether of reason
able capitalization, of reasonable
schedule of rates, or effective admins
tration," an authoritative valuation is
of the highest Importance.
President Recommends.
The President in his last message to
Congress on page says:
ample means should be provided
to enable the Commission whenever
in it's judgment it is necessary to make
a physical valuation of any railroad"
In his Indianapolis speech on May
3Oth, 1907, the President declared
that:
Provision should be made by Con
gress to enable the Interstate Com
MERGE Commission by the employment
of a sufficient force of experts to as
certain the physical valuation of each
and any railroad in the country when
ever such valuation would be of value
to the commission in it's work"
and he added,
There are undoubtedly some roads
where it would be an advantage fol
the Commission to have such physical
valuation as soon as possible"
Now when the Hepburn bill was
pending before the Senate, Senator
LaFollette of Wisconsin offered an
amendment embodying this provision
THE Commission shall investigate
and ascertain the fair value of the
property of every railroad engaged In
interstate commerce as defined by
this act, and use it for the convenience
of the public. For the purpose Of
such investigation the Commission is
authorized to employ such engineers
experts, and other assistants as may
be necessary"
Long Against It.
This provision is in absolute har
mony with the policy Of the President
Yet Senator Long voted against the
amendment and at the National Con
vention on June 18th, when an effort
was made to have such plank put IL
the Republican platform when 1t was
we'll known to be the wish of Score
tary Taft and of the President that
such a provision be incorporated, Sen
ator Long not only voted against 1t
but solicited other delegates from
Kansas, as personal favor to him tc
vote against this provision. Yet In
the face of this, he is proclaiming tc
the people of Kansas that he is a
supporter of the President and the
Presidents policies.
Mr.. Bristow then discussed Long s
Beloit speech in which the Senator
gave great weight to the value of the
service in ratemaking. He illustrated
the visciousness Of this system by
citing the coal rates from Colorado to
Western Kansas which in some in
stances are higher than those to towns
in eastern Kansas, much farther from
the mines. In closing this discussion
he said:
"The transportation companies not
only transport coal but usually own
the mines. They do not base their
charges on the cost of serving the
/ people, who are hundreds of miles
nearer the coal mines, but upon their
necessities. The greater the neces
sity the greater the charge, is the
rule which Senator Long defends and
votes to maintain; and his votes on
this proposition alone, If every other
act of his official career had been
satisfactory to his constituents, should
cause his defeat.
The Long and Short Haul.
But it remained for the senator in
his Emporia speech to take position
on the long and short haul" which
demonstrates. either an astounding ig-
norance of the subject he is discus
sing, or a reckless perversity and utter
disregard of the interests of the peo-
pie whom he was elected to serve. In
this speech, in referring to an amend
ment offered to the Hepburn bill pro-
hibiting the railroads from charging
more in the aggregate for a short
haul than for a longer haul over the
same line in the same direction. The
senator said:
! "This was an amendment proposed
RI tho uanhurn hill prohibiting a COM