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

suit of the energy of our people, the
highest rates have been imposed, and
this state instead of having friend
in the United States Senate to pro-
tect her, has a man who boldly and
defantly announces that he proposes
to help perpetuate this iniquitious
system under which we are now bur-
dened.
The President of the United States
has protested against this system; the
Interstate Commerce Commission de-
clares that it is wrong and has been
for years, but our representative In
the highest legislative body in the
land declares that he proposes to vote
to maintain 1t. The Senator says
that there are special rates from the
east to the Missouri river that great
Iy help Kansas.
A Wichita Illustration.
In your own city you have an illus
tration of the utter falsity Of Senator
Longs position. The Yucca company
which started here has established
branch house in Buffalo, N. Y, and
ships its products from Buffalo to
Kansas City for distribution rather
than from Wichita. The rate on its
goods from Buffalo to Kansas City,
about 1 100 miles, is 70 cents per hun
dred, while the rate froz Wichita to
Kansas City, 226 miles, is &c cents
per hundred. The rates on their
supplies from points of origin into
Buffalo are so much lower than into
Wichita that it makes it profitable
for them to ship from Buffalo to Kan
sas City instead of from Wichita to
Kansas City. Three years ago this COM
pany did about &c per cent of its
business in Wichita; now 1t does
about 30 per cent of its business here.
1t finds it more profitable on account
of the freight rates to ship its goods
to the Pacific coast from Buffalo
rather than from Wichita. Yet Sen.
ator Long has the amazing hardihood
to stand before the people of Kansas
and defend this system-a system
that brushes like wise the struggling
industries of his own state, and
against which its people have vainly
fought for twenty years in their
efforts to secure a just opportunity
for industrial development.
These are but a few illustrations.
Any shipper can cite you to others
Just as bad
Unjust to Railway Employees.
In this address I have dealt largely
with tho nnQctinn tian
because 1t is of such vital importance
to Kansas. 1t not only touches nur
entire commercial and Industrial rife,
but the morals of the nation as we'll
The present system permits the
practice of over-capitalization and the
evils that grow out of 1t are moral
wrong and in violation of every prin.
ciple of justice. The grossest frauds
are perpetrated on the honest investor
in railway securities. The rights Of
every railway employee are violated.
Their wages are cut and they are de.
prived of just compensation that
money may be secured to pay
interest on fraudulent bonds, and
dividends on watered stock. Con.
sumers and shippers are robbed
by discrimination and extortion-
ate rates. Yet the full weight of
Senator Longs senatorial influence
has been given to perpetrate this mon.
strous system.
The Cochran Recommendation.
The Senator excuses a number OF
his votes upon these vital questions
on the ground of party regularity He
says that to have voted otherwise he
would have had to vote with the DEM
ocrats, which to him seemed obnox-
ious. In this, however, he is inconsist-
ent. When it came to recommend
ing man for United States circuit
judge, the highest Office to which the
Senator has had an opportunity to re-
commend a candidate, he broke over
party lines and recommended a Demo
crat from Missouri who was a corpor.
alton lawyer and railroad attorney,
as against Republican from his own
state whose character and eminent
fitness was not questioned The rea-
son alleged for the Senator breaking
over party lines in this instance Is
that Mr.. Cochran. the Democrat rec;
commended, was the general attorney
for the Missouri Pacific railroad to
which corporation the Senator was
under great political obligations. The
Senator so far has not favored us with
any elaborate explanation of this part
of his official record.
Again let me ask, If Senator Long Is
in harmony with the President. should
he not support the Presidents poll.
cies, and stand for the things that the
President stands for, not because they
are the policies of Roosevelt, but be-
cause they are right and in the inter-
ests of Justice?
Ours an Independent Population.
The best thing about Kansas to-day
is the independence of her population
and do not believe that Kansas. with
her independence, with her intelli.
\ 9anCe and har nrfda will oyar 49,,