The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-17
Freight Rates to Gulf Explained
and Justified.
NOT DISCRIMINATION.
Rate Based on Volume of Traffic
and Markets.
Wichita Rate Compared With
Charge for Kansas City.

I.
charge of discrimination in rates
against Kansas in rates as compared |
with the Kansas City rate squarely and
answers them at some length. He de-
tends the present rates as equitable |
and justified by the market centers
from where they are based. The Rip |
ley letter in full is as follows:
On Train No. 1, Dec. 10. 1910.
Mr.. w. R. Stubs, Governor or Kansas
Topeka, Kansas.
My Dear 'Governor:-I have a suspic- |
ion that the public is likely to lose in
terest in our correspondence ana that
nearly all that can be said on either
side of the discussion has been Sdld |
Moreover, l am reminded of the old
adage that none is so blind as he
who will not see." But there are GER
tain statements and reflections IN your
last letter which possibly call Tor one
more letter, and at the risk OF Great
ing nausea in the minds of our readers,
am going to answer them.
You congratulate me on throwing
away my gunlShOeS and lighting openly
for my policies Perhaps this matter
is extraneous and not germane to the
discussion, but L desire to say that 1
have never used socalled 'gumshoe
methods and have not fought at any
time otherwise than openly. Pernaps
claim too much in saying that the Santa
Fe has been the chief factor in making
Kansas what it is today. 1t is always
bad form to sound ones own praises,
and yet if the whole history of Kansas
were to be reviewed; the days when the
Santa Fe hauled the settlers in practi-
cally free and the days when 1t supplied
them gratis with seed wheat and IN the
later and dismal days when 1t hauled
them away free because they were 1g-
norant of the soil and climate ana
could not make a living; when we con-
slider the industries which the Santa F'e
has brought to the state and has pro-
NOTED and kept in the state and when
we consider that it has always been
foremost in every good work for the er-
vocational well as the material inter
est of the people, 1 hardly think
| have claimed too much for It,
Gulf Versus Atlantic Rates.
You ask how 1 explain the fact that
1--WE charge $.25 per hundred pounds
Galveston, practically all the distance
down grade, while the railroads oper-
ating between Kansas City and the
Atlantic seaboard haul grain nearly
| double the distance and across noun
| tain ranges for the same price, and
Won ask if I do not know that 1.-The cost
of construction and maintenance OF
railroads between Kansas City and the
| Atlantic seaboard iSavefy much IN ex-
cess of the cost of railroads in the ter
| ritory between Kansas City and the
Gulf" In answer / say that the TWEEN
ty-five cent rate from Wichita Is in my
| opinion quite reasonable under the
| conditions as the rate from Kansas
City to the Atlantic seaboard; ana the
| Interstate commerce commission IS OF
the same opinion. The $.25 rate from
Wichita was established by the inter-
state commerce commission after an
| exhaustive investigation during June
and Julv 1907; this rate having been
established as a reasonable rate from
Wichita to Galveston, the divisions OF
this through rate when applied via
Kansas City have no possible interest,"
to the farmer or producer OF Kansas
grain The rate from Fort Worth to
| Galveston is SIS and the rate of $.25
to Wichita, which is 346 miles fur
Their away, certainly does not compare
unfavorab1y.
pounds to which you refer from Kan
sas City to Galveston on export wheat
Is not local rate from Kansas City,
but is a proportion of through rate
from interior points to Galveston
These rates are so adjusted as to per-
NIT the Kansas farmer to ship via
Kansas City to Galveston, selling his
grain in Kansas City if he finds he can
do so to better advantage than to per-
NIT it to go through. This is because
Kansas City and other southwestern
Missouri river points have long been
maintained primary markets for the
+ handling of Kansas grain and l doubt
! if you can prevail on the people OF
r | Kansas CITY or the pTOcuC'I III Nail
sas to relinquisl. this idea AS to the
question of doing away with Kansas
. City as a primary market for gram
: you might consult your friends OF the
Kansas City Star. This proportlonal
, rate of S.185 per hundred pounds is
= established by the short line between
. Kansas and the Gulf and we carry but
very little business on this rate II I'M
der certain conditions of light business
, and of empty cars moving south we
to1o To ri certain
in this traffic it is difficult to see who
lis injured or wherein the farmer OF
[ Kansas or the market at Wichita Is
injured by our SO doing.
j, About That Down Grade.
incidentally. the statement that the
line from Wichita to Galveston is al
practically down grade indicates great
/ lack of information. AS a matter OF
] fact thre is a total rise in the grade OF
4 our line between Wichita and the Gull
0 of 1886 feet and fall of 1884 feet
4 and the grades are very much in eX-
= cess of those between Kansas and New
r York.
If these instances are, as you say. {
f fair example of the injustice which
e your state has suffered at our hands
: for many years I am content to go be
fore any tribunal and defend them.
You say that sit is unfair and I'M
| lawful for Kansas railroad to entel
e into any agreement with eastern line
:, that forces Kansas to pay tribute to
! system of railroad rates based Oh
n hauling products by rail to the Allan
q tic seaboard." No such agreement o.
f combination exists and if you hat
s been better posted on your subject yol
s would know that rates on grain from
a Kansas points to the Gulf are no
! based on the Atlantic seaboard rates
!, but are as a matter of fact very muel
: less.
Long Haul Not Discrimination.
You say that under our presen
o system of rate making the railroad
Y get the longest possible haul on tn
a raw material and also on the shipmen
e of the manufactured product It i
Is perfectly natural that each railrca
s should seek to get the long haul o.
the products which originate aloAg IT