The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-23
TAKE FIRM STAND
Rate Conference Adopts Some
Decisive Resolutions.
Favor the Physical Valuation Of
Railroads.
WILL WORK RIGHT ON.
Permanent Organization Form
ed With Texas Man at Head.
John Dawson, of Topeka, Is the
Secretary.s
WILL WORK RIGHT ON.

ing on record as favoring a law pro-
viding for the physical valuation of
railroads. The resolutions are along
the lines predicted Thursday when
the conference was first called to or
der. 1t took most of the day for the
resolutions committee to agree on the
wording and the details.
A permanent organization to carry
forward the work of organized pro-
test was also effected of which w. D.
Williams of the board of railroad COM
missioners of Texas is chairman and
John Dawson of Kansas is secretary.
The conference Thursday, it must
be admitted, was a remarkable de-
mOnstratiOn. Solid, long-headed bust
ness men came from many miles dis
tant from eight different states and
spent the day here in serious discus
sion of the threatened action of the
| transportation companies. There was
little bombast or buster. The dele
gates discussed the question with
| calm seriousness that precedes a de-
/ termined fight to a finish.
By the way, it was a Scotch meet
| ing, according to John Macdonald of
| Topeka, who viewed the gathering
with the complacency of a Bruce at
| Bannockburn A Mackenzie was
tary; a Cowhan from the 1owlands
| and Page from the highlands were
there. A Dawson came from Sterling
| and a Little from the Douglas coun-
| try. Gov. Stubs is a Quaker, but he
| evidently sounded the bagpipes when
| he called the conference. But as
John Macdonald sageIy observes, it
was none the les sa good meeting for
| a that an a that.
| AS Will White Saw 1t.
William Allen White who was here
| from Emporia, an interested observer
| as we'll as delegate. sized up the meet
| ing in his characteristic way as fol-
| lows: Every delegate here is supposed
! to tear up a mile of track and wreck
| two box cars and call that a days
work. That is except Charlie Sessions
who is working for the Kansas City
Journal, we will let him off with a de-
tached rail and a. wrecked hand car
As for Stubs, he will be called upon
to wreck a Pullman"
At a night meeting a permanent Or
| ganization was effected which was
called the Traffic Federation of the
Middle West" as per suggestion oy
! tary of the organization. w. D. Will
| liams of Texas is the president, or
| rather chairman This organization will
take up the work where it was left off
by the conference.
The following committee was named
at the night meeting to take the reso-
lutions adopted to Washington and
present them to the congress:
Murdo Mckenzie, Trinidad. Col:
John L Powell, Wichita; c.. G. Mes
seroIe c4owrie, Ia. William D Will
liams. Fort Worth. Tex; w. T. Bland.
Kansas City, Mo; U. G. Orendorff,
Canton, Ill; George A. HinshaW, Okla
homa City.
The following finance committee was
selected to raise funds to carry on the
campaign outlined at the conference:
Governor w. r. Stubs for Kansas,
Governor ]. T. Shafroth for Colorado
Governor Herbert Hadley for Missouri
T. f Crrce of Ardmore, Okla, John NJ
Glenn for Illinois. H. c. Wallace for
Iowa, Murdo Mckenzie for Colorado.
Other members will be selected later
for other states. So
The resolutions adopted are as fol-
lows:
"At a conference of the shippers and
representatives of commercial and
business organizations offlc1al repre-,
sen+atives of state boards of Railroad
Commissioners, producers and shippers
of the states of Colorado. Texas, OK
lahoma Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri,
Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois assembled
at Topeka. Kansas, this 2Znd DAY OF
September, 1910, called TO cohsIoer the
advance in rates proposed by the rail-
wav carriers of the country, now being
considered by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, 1t is hereby declared and
resolved:
s"That we stand for absolute justice
to all railway corporations, their stock
holders and employees, and to shippers,
producers and consumers of the coun-
try alike in this controversy:
seThat if after exhaustive investiga-
tion bv the Interstate Commerce Com
mission it is proven that the rail car
riers are not now receiving adequate
compensation, based on a correct val
uation of their property. that we would
heartily favor such increase in rates
eouitably applied, as would afford fair
earnings on capital invested:
THAT. if the investigation made by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
| develops the fact that adequate rev.
enue is now being derived, that the ad-
vances demanded be vigorously OPP
posed.
IF it should be discovered that the
railway carriers of the country are al
ready enjoying an unreasonable per-
centage of profit on the investment, we
favor such action as will bring about
a reduction of rates TO such basis
as will be equitable to carriers and to
shippers. producers and consumers
I'VE heartily endorse the action
taken by the interstate commerce COM
mission and the representatives of the
shippers who are now conducting the
Investigation relative to the proposed
advances in rates made by the various
railway carriers, and we do pledge to
them the moral, active and financial
support of the state and shipping or
carnations herein represented
I'VE urge the interstate commerce
commission to thoroughly investigate
the operating expenses to find what
betterments are added thereby to
property and all the conditions and
! valuations of railway properties. re-
/ gard1ess of the time that may be CON
/ slImed in order to obtain an intelligent
/ basis for the consideration of the pro-
/ posed advance in rates.
1--WE hereby declare it to be the duty
/ of congress to enact a mandatory law
/ making it the duty of the interstate
I commerce commission to make a most
I searching investigation into the actual
physical valuation of all the railroad
lines in the United States.
| I'VE hereby declare ourselves in ia
vor Of a rigid enforcement of the anti