The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-14
Topeka Traffic Men Feel . Diff
ferent Spirit in State.
j. WILL KELLEY ON THE CASE
Secretary Commercial Clul
Asks Topekans to Reason.
Other Items Of Interest in the
Traffic World.

The railroads Of Kansas. through
their control over the mercurial rise
Of the states prosperity THERMOMETERS,
have excited a new sentiments senti-
ment that has developed into . trans
formation Of the usual feeling for the
''red-dragon corporations" The sum-
mer's drouth. bringing ON business de-
preston and loss In railway traffic has
called for one of the most serious re-
trenchments in years in Kansas. AZ
a result the business men of the state
that is, business men who are in
touch with the railroads pulse-are
calling to the public for a new listen
to reason" policy.
In the general oflces of the Santa Fe
in Topeka the new spirit has been man.
ifested through correspondence from
business men Of the Santa Fe towns
over the state and the west. At the
Rock Island onlces here this same feel
ing of "well-let's-talk-it-o has been
found
It's something new to the railroad
traffic men. Accustomed to cut-rate
conferences with the business men, 1t
opens a new field to them. The efforts
of Kansas merchants to hold out an
invitation to discuss rate matters ana
railway prosperity with the traffic men
opens a new vein of public Industrial
relationship in this state.
For instance, the other day in To-
pelSa. J. WIN Kelley. secretary of the
Commercial club. in his annual report
to the members Of that organization.
way problem az q matter OF vital inter-
est to the business interests of the
city.
Hear what he said in part:
More or less talk Of interurban de-
velopment has been heard during the
year and there is in my judgment, very
favorable chances that Topeka will see
considerable progress along this line Of
development during the year 1914, UNI
less the continued -itation against the
railroads. and railroad earnings COM
pletely drives capital out of this line
Of investment, and in this connection
am constrained to say that the eff
forts Of this commercial organization
and all others in this country. should
be directed towards the rehabilitation
of the railroads.
II do not mean by this that Topeka
should not seek to secure the best pos
sible freight rates for tie transporta-
ton Of her products. both in and out
of the city, commensurate with rates
given to other competitive cities and
that we should not get justice at the
hands of the railroads, but we should
be willing to encourage a rearrange-
ment Of railroad earnings whereby. they
can be operated at a profit and the
confidence Of the people restored in this,
the barometer of the entire business
world-and we are vitality, and pecul-
iarly interested in this. for our largest
industry. the Santa Fe. a road whose
business methods and management is
above reproach, has 1elt the need for
retrenchment and only a few days ago
We were in nervous expectancy that
there might be a practical cessation of
work in the shops, which would throw
5000 men out of employment and Grip
pie business in Topeka more than any,
thing that could possibly happen-it has
been demonstrated time and again that
when big business enterprises f1nd It
necessary to keep up their showing of
earnings the first to suffer are the men
who work for these concerns and Of
course you know the effect this has on
local business.
$50 say it behooves US to do what
We can to re-establish confidence in the
railroads of the country"