The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-09

Kansas and tho Railroads.
It il strange fact, but neverthe-
less true. that in times past the peo-
pie OF the average state have not re-
garded their railroads a. an sIndus-
try-and yet. next to agriculture.
ts-ere il not = single central or western
pay out more money for labor and
supplies than does any other single
enterprises. however large. We braE
about our fertile farm lands and re-
1otce that our cities are filed with big
factories with big lay rolls which Gre
ato market for farm products-but
we forget that more workingmen's
families depend upon the railroads for
q living than upon any other one in
dustry in either the average state or
the nation and that their welfare 10
therefore closely linked to that of the
farmer and the merchant-not mere
ly because they furnish him freight
and passenger service. but because
t, millions they disburse in one way
and another contribute tremendously
to the prosperity Of the state In which
we live.
Thus, for instance, the railroads are
the largest taxpayers in the state of
Kansas. While the returns are not
entirely complete for 1914. the rails
road taxes Of the year just closed can
safely be estimated at $3.50, 900
support every public school. highway.
and to help meet every other revenue
expense OF the state.
The railroads Of Kansas were taxed
in 1914 on properties valued at $751;
.955-money which in years gone
by was invested in these great ar
teries Of commerce by thousands OF
men and women who live all over the
United States and in Europe, and
without whose financial assistance the
wonderful progress of our proud COM
m nwealth would have been impossi-
ble
During the year ending June 80.
1914. the railroads OF Kansas en-
ployed 1899 men and paid out to
them in salaries $2S.589, 5O-and
these millions did their full share to
create a market for Kansas farm
products and to uphold the volume Of
business OF Kansas grocers. ,clothiers.
dry goods men, and others who de-
pend upon public patronage.
During the year 1914. the railroads
| Of Kansas paid out nearly $4,000, 900
| for coal-and the lions share Of this
went to Kansas miners, of whom the
| railroads are by far the largest pa
irons. So. too, in an average year
they consume more than forty mil
| lion gallons Of oil.
In other words, when the people of
Kansas look at their railroads in the
light Of an lndustry-when they look
at the figures on the other side OF the
ledger-they will ind that not only
do the railroads return to them in one
way and another practically every
dollar they collect within tho state for
freight and passenger service. but
that q number Of lines are actually
1 Il t. h~I. 1<%S~ ruyvnf a
with others the margin Of profit is 80
small that it doesn't begin to pay a
fair return upon the invested capital,
upon which they pay a higher rate
OF taxation to the state than does any
other form Of private property.
| In this connection, we wish to d.
gress for q moment to quote some sta
tistics which should have had a place
in q former article. 1t costs an aver
age Of mills per mile to haul ton
Of freight in the United States. where
as in England 1t costs 2.S3 cents, In
Germany 1.42 cents. and in France la
cents. In the United States the aver
are wages paid to railroad employees
are $2.23 per day, in England H.15.
and in Germany and France not over q
capitalized at $265. 200 per mile. in
France at $137 900 per mile. in Ger
many at $114.1S5-while in the United
States the stock and bond capitaltza-
ton averages only $50. 900 per mile. In
view of this remarkable comparison, do
American railroads deserve the whole
sale denunciation which has been
heaped upon hem?
Losses ON Passenger Traffic.
In the application recently filed by
the Kansas lines before the State Pub
lie Utilities Commission for restora-
ton OF the three-cent passenger fare
the Missouri Pacific filed data show
kr>~k hoA n 1nQa nm {fl
Kansas passenger traffic during thu
flscal year ending 1913. amounting
TO S4O2 ,26ss1. For the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1914. the losses or
its Kansas passenger traf al had IN
creased to A4S, 4SS.72-or NJ, 2O6-41 ovel
The Rock Island filed data showing
that IL lost $60.e32 during 1913 on thu
Kansas freight and passenger business
! and that Of this amount ita loss In tn
passenger department was $29.O73. ina
its general losses are rapidly tncreas
. ine is also shown by the fact that i
only earned 2.26 per cent on its Kan
! sas property in 1913 on both interstate
and state business. while In 1914 I
earned only 1.5 per cent on its Kansai
The santa Fe filed evidence show
ing that in 1913 it lost $76.833.27 OF
it's Kansas freight and passenger bust
ness, while in 1914 the deficit climbed
!. to $125, 673.sS. In view OF these facts
Ia there q fair-minded citizen in thu
state who will contend that Kansa
railroads are not entitled to restor
alton of three cent passenger fares!
. Losses Growing Continually.
From these figures. which are opes
a to absolute proof. It can be seen tina
q the Kansas lines are not only sustain
ing q loss amounting to hundreds o
!. thousands Of dollars annually on theal
PASSENGER traffic, but that with Al
ever-increasing cost Of operation thes'
losses are constantly growing heavte
|-and il the service to the public