The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-15
A BIG TRIO.
The Commercial Club, Topeka
Advertising Club,
The Santa Fe Railway Harmony
Club
ALL JOIN ATLUNCHEON
Large Number of Business Men
Assemble.
Pointed Talks by the Santa Fe
Speakers.
ALL JOINATLUNCHEON

Inc harmony" meeting held at the
Commercial club this noon was a big
occasion. The $50 members of the
Topeka Advertising club and the
Commercial club present showed that
they take deep interest in railroad
ing and the question of freight rates
which has been agitated to such an
extent lately in political circles.
The speakers were introduced in an
exceedingly happy manner by F. P.
Metzger, president of the Topeka Ad-
vertising club, following very ap-
propriate general introduction by ].
Will Kelley.
One of the things that seemed to
impress the big audience of business
men at the meeting today was the
ability of the railway speakers to ex-
press themselves so clearly and graph
tcally. These men are not in the bust
ness of "spellbinding,' but whose du-
ties and work are rather far removed
as rule from the platform. Each
speaker seemed sincere in presenting
the railroad views and appeared to
believe in exactly what he said.
"A great deal has been said pro and
con in regard to the relation between
the railroads and the people," said ].
VIII Kelly, who welcomed the Santa
Fe officials in behalf of the CONNER
cial club and AID club. 1.-The people
of Topeka want to hear both sides of
the question"
F. P. Metzger introduced the first
speaker, ]. R. Koontz, general freight
agent of the Santa Fe, as a man who
knows the looks of the bottom of the
ladder.
1--WE have been travelling over Kan
sas and Oklahoma for the last few
weeks said Mr.. Koontz, land have
visited 127 cities in our territory. I
feel that the people look upon the
railrOading proposition in a broad and
Intelligent manner.
my duties are first to secure for
the railroads the greatest possible ton
mage, the regulation of the rates of the
railroads having passed to great ex-
tent from the hand of the officials, the
responsibility is now on the public
Koontz Has Confidence.
1--WE have unbounded confidence in
the people in Kansas and in the states
through which our railroad runs. 1
feel that you share in the pride over
the fact that ours. is the greatest rail-
road in the state.
I'VE have 5000 miles of tarck in the
state and there are 10000 names on
our payroll in Kansas. 1t is our pur-
number of friends we have in the
state until the friendship is unani-
nous.
THE physical valuation of a railroad
| as a factor in making freight rates has
| been much discussed. We have a dou-
| BILE track road between Chicago and
Kansas City which is rock ballasted
| and is much superior to the track of
some of the other lines, but the rates
we charge could not be based on that
! fact. We could not get the business.
I'm Kansas there are a number of
so-called dirt lines. The Santa Fe
| track between Chanute and PittSburg
has been transformed from a dirt road
| into rock ballasted road at a cost Of
$500.
About Freight Rates.
ut would not be just to adjust the
| freight rates according to the valua-
ton of the tracks. The lines with the
expensive roadbeds would have to
| charge much larger rates than the
lines of the dirt or cheaper roads.
| mo one in the state of Kansas de-
sires to see the transportation COM
panies of the country deteriorate. They
must and will increase in efficiency.
| The lettering of conditions must be eff
| fected by means of the earnings of the
| road.
Freight Rates $3.50 per Family.
I'm 55 cities in Kansas 1 have follow
| ed the freight on products from the
producer to the consumer, and have
found each family expends $3.50 on
freight in the year. The Topeka Capt.
tai said the figure is $144.. Such state
ments are unfair.
| THE state of Kansas two years ago
| saw fit to reduce the rates on brick,
and other materials from 10 to IS per
cent Now what has happened?
| Il find upon investigation in 40 cities
| that in the larger per cent of them the
price per ton of coal, per bag of lime,
| is from to 35 per cent higher.
1.-The fact remains that the freight
| rates were reduced and the products in
| creased in price so the consumers did
not get the benefits intended. We are
willing to leave the subject in the
hands of the people, as we believe that
they will have due regard to rights and
welfare of the railroads"
E. L. Copeland Presents Figures.
E. L. Copeland, secretary and treas
urer of the Santa Fe was the next
speaker. ut has been necessary for
me on the harmony trips, said he,
ito tell the people that I occupy the
same position as does the cashier OF a
store. I pay out the money.
"The impression is that when
/ firm is doing large business 1t is nee
essarily making large profits. 1t is
true that in the last year the Santa Fe
did a bigger business than ever be-
fore, but the net profits were one and