The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-22
Controversy Between Governor
and President Continues.
Governor Asks Again About
Gulf and Atlantic Rates.
CITES SEVERAL CASES
Where Kansas Suffers From
Rate Discrimination.
The Case of the Santa Fe Haul
ing Kansans Free of Charge.

The Stubbs-Ripley correspondence
continues and the principals appear to
be as fresh and energetic as ever in
the fourth round. Governor Stubs now
asks the president of the Santa Fe 20
explain why a railroad can haul freight
/ 400 miles as cheaply as it can haul
the same merchandise 700 miles. He
also cites several particular and certain
cases of discrimination on the part Of
the railroad against Kansas shippers
and consumers. The letter in full fol-
lows:
Hon. Edward P Ripley. President A..
T. & S. T. Ry., Chicago, Ill
My Dear Mr. Ripley:-Your favor re-
ceived. but you nave entirely failed to
answer my questions. You say in your
letter 1.-The % cent rate from Wichita
is in my opinion quite as reasonable
under the conditions as the rate from
Kansas City to the Atlantic sea board"
The date from Wichita to Galveston,
q distance of approximately 200 miles,
is rs cents. The rate from Kansas City
to the Atlantic seaboard. a distance of
approximately l, 400 miles, is 25 cents.
What are the exact conditions, Mr.. Rip
ley, that justify the Santa Fe in charS
ing 100 per cent higher rate per ton
mile on grain and grain products from
Wichita to the seaboard at Galveston
than from Kansas City to the Atlantic
seaboard? Please specify the facts in
the case. Give us the particular items
which in your opinion increase the cost
per ton mile of moving grain to the
gulf compared with shipments east
from Kansas, City.
Unless you have information or facts
unknown to the public which will prove
that a railroad can haul grain approx
imately 1,400 miles for the same price
that it costs to haul it 700 miles, then
your statement that the rate from To-
peka to Galveston is as reasonable as
the rate from Kansas City to the At
lantic seaboard will appear simply ri
diculnEs and preposterous.
~ The interstate commerce commission
in discussing grain rates between Kan
sas City and the gulf estimate that the
average rate for the ten years prior to
1907 was less than IA cents per hundred
pounds for a $50 mile haul.
The Rates Are Higher.
Kansas City, therefore, is now pay
ing SO 1-3 per cent higher rate on grain
to the gulf than the average rate for
ten years prior to 1907. Wichita is pay
ing 20 per cent higher rate per ton
mile than this increased rate from Kan
sas City to the gulf-this all in the face
of the fact that the railroads are haul
ing almost double the amount of freight
IN each car and perhaps more than
double the number of cars in each
TRAM. lildll they Qia q lew years ago.
You say the rate from Fort WORT:
to Galveston is Is cents per hundred
pounds. This statement may be tech
nically true concerning some local rate,
but you and l know that it does not
apply to the movement of grain from
Kansas points to Galveston.
The interstate commerce commission
states that carriers at Fort Worth.
Denison and Dallas are willing to re-
ceiVe and transport grain to the Guif,
from Wichita to Galveston, for not ex-
ceeding G or cents per hundred
pounds.
The supreme court has held that car
riers in meeting competitive rates are
not justified in carrying traffic for less
than cost, since they would thereby i'm
pose upon noncompetitive traffic the
burden of the loss.
While no one would question your
expert knowledge of the rate situation
and railroad conditions generally, yet
your opinion should be supported by
substantial facts setting forth clearly
the reasons for your conclusion, the
same as a decision of the supreme
court.
Cites Particular Cases Discrimination.
In your letter you ask for bill of
particulars in regard to determinations
and unjust freight rates on goods and
materials shipped into Kansas Please
explain WHY YOU charge one nunQrGQ
per cent and upward to two and three
hundred per cent more per ton mile for
hauling goods over your line from the
Missouri river to points in Kansas
than railroads charge for hauling the
same commodities between the Missis-
sippi and Missouri rivers. am advised
on excellent authority that rates on
harness, saddlery, iron and steel and
their products, furniture, bags and
bagging, packing house products, and
numerous other articles. are more than
one hundred per cent higher Der fnu
mile from the Missouri river to dis
tributing points in Kansas than are
the rates charged by railroads between
the Mississippi and Missouri rivers
this in spite of the fact that the Santa
F'e. Rock Island, Burlington Alton and
missouri Pacific lines in Missouri have
cost a great deal more per mile to con-
struct and maintain than the Kansas
lines.
If you can furnish satisfactory evil
dence to your patrons that all the
above determinations and charges ara
reasonable and just, then the Santa F'a
ought to increase your salary
You say in your letter that in the
early history of Kansas. the Santa Fe
hauled the settlers in practically free.
and supplied them gratis with seed
wheat, and later hauled them away
free because they were ignorant of the
soil and climate and could not make a
living.
Balance Between Santa Fe and Kansas
1t will be admitted that the Santa
Fe. together with all other railroads.
has at times contributed free trans
portation of persons and property dur
ing drouth and periods of distress in
the history of the state. But if the
balance sheet could be struck. Mr.
Ripley, and every dollar so contrib
uted By the Santa F'e placed On one
side. with every dollars worth of pub
lie land. cash and bonds that have
been contributed by the people of KAN
sas to the Santa Fe exhibited on the
other side of the ledger, the Santa Fe
railroad would owe the people of KAN
sas one hundred dollars for each dol
lar the Santa Fe has given to the peo-
pie; and the aggregate amount would
be millions of dollars in value, consid-