The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-24
HAVE CHANCE TO WIN.
John Dawson Talks About Gulf Rate
Situation.

John Dawson attorney for the rail-
road board. returned today from
Wichita, where he went to confer
with the heads of the Southwestern
Shippers association in regard to the
filing of suits for lower rates to the
southwest before the interstate COM
merce commission. Mr.. Dawson Is of
the opinion that these cases are the
most important that have affected
Kansas in many years and he be-
lieves. in the light of recent decisions
by the commission, that the four
states represented in the Shippers as
ISOLATION have a splendid chance to
win their cases. In an interview to-
day he made the following interest
ing statements:
There is as yet no suit pending
before the interstate commerce COM
mission in which the board of rail-
road commissioners might intervene.
What has been done is to organize
Southwestern Shippers Traffic asso-
citation which may bring such suit
and which is intended to move along
all legitimate lines to procure more
favorable shipping rates to Kansas,
Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas from
New York and New England. Rail-
road rates to these states are based
upon the long all-rail haul across the
continent when in fact a considera BILE
and growing amount of the freight is
shipped by water from New York to
Galveston and thence by a short rail-
haul to Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and
Colorado.
Freight rates to Kansas towns are
made up by combining the long dis
lance rates from the Atlantic ocean
to the Missouri river and the local
rates from the Missouri river to the
point of destination. What the as
ISOLATION hopes to accomplish is the
esta blishment of a new system of
rate making to all this southwestern
country, based upon the cost of rail-
road service from the Gulf coast.
There are two methods of procedure
suggested. One is to bring a suit in
the name of this traffic association to
readjust the whole schedule of rates
for the southwest, using Galveston as
the basing point, and the Kansas
BOARD OF railroad commissioners has
been invited to intervene in this suit.
The other plan is to attack the most
unjust schedules, one after the 9TH
er, as was done in the grain rate case
which has added four cents to the
value of every bushel of wheat raised
by the Kansas farmer.
1t is a vast and comprehensive
undertaking which will take time and
expense but it is altogether feasible
for the expressions of the Interstate
commerce commission in some recent
cases pertaining to rates in the south
west are most significant Indeed.
the southwestern shippers took their
cue and have formed their associa-
tiOil ldI SelS from noting the very
pointed opinion of Commissioner
Prouty in Wichita case decided 2
year ago. =
OF course I am now Just feeling
my way and getting the lay of the
land on this proposition 1t occurs
to me that it might be well for the
state 10 JOIN as principal party
rather than as an intervenor. No one
VIII minimize the Importance of this
subject. If successtuf it would mean
that the cities of Kansas, which are
az located within eight hundred miles
oI the gum seaboard would enjoy the
same rates as cities within the 500
distance of the North. Atlantic sea
poaru: plus the cheap water rate from
New York to Galveston"