The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-13
HELM DECLARES
RATE hike WILL
BREAK SHIPPERS
Asserts Increase Would Cost
State S1,9OO,OOO a Year.
Says 1t Would Ruin Every Kan
sas Industrial Center.
RAILROADS CLOSE The CASE
Counsel Argues for Jurisdiction.
Denial and Rejection.
State Official DOdges Second
Encounter With KOOntz.
RAILROADS CLOSE THE CASE

Arguing for a denial of jurisdiction
and a rejection of the 20 per cent in
crease in intrastate freight rates, A.
E. Helm, state utilities commission
rate counsel, today declared the new
rate would cost Kansas shippers more
than $1,900,000 a year He charged
that adoption of the rate meant ruin
for every industrial and JobDlng CEN
ter in the state.
Railroads closed their case before
the state commission at the morning
session. Helm then attacked the hor-
izontal percentage rate increase He
charged that the proposed increase,
without a similar advance in inter-
state rates, meant ruin to Kansas
towns which sought to compete with
Kansas City and Missouri river ship
ping points.
Helm Dodges Koontz.
r Once during Helms argument j.
R. Koontz, general freight agent for
the Santa Fe, sought to interpose a
question. Possibly the commissions
rate attorney remembered his encoun-
ter with the Santa Fe buzz saw earlier
in the week. In any event he was
in no frame of mind to discuss the
issues in a cross fire of questions with
the rate expert. Persistent in his eff
forts, Koontz forced Helm to the shell
ter of the commission when j. R.
Bristow, chairman, raped for order
and gave Helm the floor.
Taking of testimony in the intra-
state freight rate case was concluded
when the Missouri, Kansas & Texas
completed its case. Then Helm di-
rected an attack on the proposed in
crease. He declared the state COM
mission did not hold jurisdiction in
the case, that the proposed increase
was illegal and spelled only ruin to
every jobbing and Industrial center in
Kansas.
Would Break Shippers.
Reading from notes on testimony
before the commission, Helm declared
the roads had last year received more
state freight business. To grant the
proposed increase, he said, would
mean an added burden of more than
$1,90O,000 a year to the Kansas ship
pers.
Such an increase" said Helm, "in
crease in interstate rates, would be
rank discrimination against Every
jobbing and Industrial center in Kan
sas. 1t would mean ruin for the
towns which now compete with Kan
sas City and other Missouri river
points. 1t would mean that under
the tariffs as published at this time,
Kansas jobbers would be compelled
to pay higher rate for short hauls
than Kansas City with her interstate
rate ana lOng ndulS.
Says Rate Illegal.
This rate is illegal and this COM
mission is not vested with power to
grant an illegal rate. Under the laws
of Kansas, as 1 interpret them, this
commission cannot grant horizontal
increases in rates.
In the course of his argument,
Koontz interposed a question.
II don't care to be interrupted iii
my statement" snapped Helm. You
can have the floor when 1 get thru"
But Koontz was persistent
Are you afraid to meet the issue
and answer my question? ?" asked the
Santa Fe official.
mo, l am not afraid But you can
have the floor when 1 have finished. :
Chairman Bristow raped for order,
told Helm to proceed with his argu-
ment and reopening of the row that
started with the opening of the rate
case was avoided