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About The farmers' alliance. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1889-1892 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1891)
THE FAKMKKS AM iTANOE. LINCOLN NEB. THURSDAY, SEPT. H, 189L ARGUMENT OF C. G. DAWES BEFORE i DELIVERED AUGUST 13, 1891. XAnocrapUcallr revolted by Beit S. Bettt. Mr. Holdrege ef the B. A M. Ry : How about the rate from all the Missouri towns. The rate from every river towa is the same. Mr. Dawei: That U for buslnew coming from Chicago to points in the State; that la the through rate; lam complaining of the disproportion and resulting discrimination from the difference between the local rates in the state and the through rates to the State. Mr. Holdrege of the B. & M. Ry: 1 would like to ask if you think the through Tates are too low? ' Mr. Dawer I think the through rites are too high. Under all the other rate systems of this country the rule is reserved with very few exceptions that the rat decreases proportions tely to the distance because the cost of service decreases in that proportion. The rate per ton per mile should decrease proportionately vita the distance of the haul. Now, what is the condition of affairs so far as Ne braska is concerned? Do they preserve that rule? Do they follow it? Not at all. They take the through rate per ton per mile to the cities of Lincoln and Om aha, and then add the local distributing rate, which increases the per ton per Sue rata after freight leaves the cities of Lincoln and Omaha whether the freight is shipped directly from Chicago to the interior point or wbetber re-shipped, at Omaha or Lincoln. Tha theory of decreasing rates per ton per mile Is followed until they get from Chicago to Lincoln and Omaha and then the local distributing Tate is added as against the interior portions of the state, making ths through rate to interior points the sum of the through rate to Lincoln or Omaha plus the local distributing rate from either of those two cities to the interior point. Mr. Holdrege: Do you know what the purchaser in Hastings pays for a farm wagon as compared with the purchaser in Des Moines, Iowa? Or can you ahow me anything the farmer buys in Hastings and pays more for than in Des Moines, Iowa? jir. Dawes: When you come to your time for speaking yon can make that argument if there is anything In it. Mr. Munroeof the U. P. Ry: Do you thick that a uniform percentage should govern between first, second, third, fourth and fifth classes, and classes A-B-C-D and K in all sections of the country? I Mr. Dawes: Net being acquainted with the conditions which exist in all sec tions of the country, I certainly should not be foolish enough to attempt to an- : that question. . , Mr. Munroe of the U. F. Ry: Do you think that the man who loans money in New England ought to get the same rate of interest as the man who loans in western Nebraska? That Is a parallel case. Mr. Dawes: I wish you would make that argument to the State Board of Transportation if you desire. I wish to call the attention of the Board to this fact: that the argument that we have heard in the past against the lowering of this class of through rates is this: that the state of Nebraska does a very small local business and these roads must therefore charge higher on the last end of a long haul because local business in these districts a so small. Yet I have shown that this road running through the unsettled portion of the country has a sys ten of local rates in this state which are practically prohibitive for the sake of allowing this road a high tariff on the long haul plan on commodities hauled into the state. They have put such rates In force as prevent the transaction of local besisess a&4 then claim that because there is no local business, high through rates most be charged and the rate per ton per mile on the lone haul into the St.te must be increased as the distanoe increases. I have prepared a set of tables here. I did not get a notice of this meeting being absent from the city in time to prop erly prepare this statement for today but I wish to present in a short time to the Board of Transportation a list of some coo articles taken from the western class! station tabulated fer Nebraska, into classes 1-2 8-4-5-A-B-C-D E. These com anodlties whioh I have copied out are those which in my Judgment could be pro duoed by the citizen of interior Nebraska In competition with the wholesale points of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. I have also prepared another set of ta . hies by which the relative discrimination against interior Nebraska in the home markets of Omaha and Lincoln is shown. These tables show how interior Nebraska is shut out of the home markets by these unreasonable local rates. I havo taken the fourth an.4 fifth classes in my preceding illustrations because they are discriminated against the greatest, and because it is the fourth and fifth filamrt in which the people of this State are mostly interested. These tables in clude all classes. Let me read them: aowimaioR naaaAsa is shut out or thb assT boms marksts orias stats btprq niaiTiva local rath. Table showtnr the distanoe from Omaha atwhloh aeitlxenof lnterlolr Nebraska ship, ybur to Omaha, under the local merchandise tariff, purs the tame rate as a Kansas City ship par pays to Omaha, 100 miles distant from Kansas City: 1st elaas rate, 40e from Button, Neb., 123 miles to Omaha, against 800 m let Kan. City to Omaha M " 8&o " Button, ' m " . are 4th Table 4 Kbowln- tae distance from Onaba. Xeb,. at which a elttsea ef le'erlor Jfb. Sblpptfia- btwea two Nebraska point, uairr the local distance lariS of the C B. A Q. Kj, pays lb tame raie aa a 01. u ssipper pay w mui, vun ,rwia . wwi rrelvht 1st class Sd Sd " 4tb " Mb " CUMA " B " C " D " H tWrom a point In Keblioto Omaha, ajralnjt 4 miles to Omaha from 8t Louis 40 ts to n if IS It !-S 11 Ml TO AO SO M 110 no 140 uo Tables Rhowlnr the distance from Lincoln. Neb., at which a citizen of Interior Neb. (hipping- between two Nebraska point, under tbe local distance tariff of the C, B. Q. By., pays me same rat aa a sc. kouu snipper pay 10 uuooin, we nines aiaiaui xruui ou vuuit. Mile , i:t'o Llnooln.against 488 mile to Lincoln fron St. Louis uu - - W " - I -Q " 1 70 115 " 14(1 " " 140 - m " - 2M Table flhnwlnr the distance from Beatrice. Neb., at which a cf'.lien of interior Ne. shipping between two Nebraska point, uodt-r tbe local distance tariff of tbe C . B. a Q. Ky., pays the same rate as a St. Louis chipper pays to Beatrice, 4U mile distant from bX Louis: Frda-bt. lstelass 3d 4th " Sth " ClassA - B " C " D K Cts. SO from point In Neb, 4 as 25 I S aoi-s is it t-s 14 freight. t class 2d " 3d 4th " 5th " ClassA " B C - D E Cut. Mile. TO from a point in Neb., IH6 to Beatrice, against 43njiles to Beatrice fromBLIi. 44 ST 90 30 1 1 t31-S Zl 18 1-3 IS ISO 120 120 1115 IA5 170 IK) 2M) m Table T Showing the distanoe from Omaha, Nebraska, at which a citizen of Interior, Wh shinnln between two Nebraska point, underthe local district tariff of tbe C B. a Q. By., pays tbe same rate as a Kansas City or Leavenworth shipper pays to Omaha, 200 miles d islam Irani Kansas liny Freight. Sth " ClassA B C - D " SNO tuo 190 170 ISO 110 o To Grafton, rnena. Friend, Orafton, Crete, Crete, Crete, zeter. 115 115 75 Tt 75 101 very point on the C B. Q. Une between Kansas City and Omaba takes the Kansas City rate or loss to Omaha. Table showing the distanoe from Lincoln at which a citizen of Interior Nebraska ship pint to Ltneoln, under tbe local merchandise tariff, pays the same rate as a St. Louis shipper pays to Llnooln, 466 miles distant lrom St. Louis: let elats frelghLSOof rom Atlanta,Neb.,lM mile to Lincoln, against 466 miles St. Louie to Llnooln M as 4th -Hh C:aasA B C D . K WO S9o - 830 V 8540" ISO KHo4 140 " Lowell .lunlata, " Keoetaw,' Hastings, Axtell, Holdrege," Holdrege," CulbertTn," Benkbiman, 128 10S US 7 i: va 158 840 281 Uvery point on the C, B. ft Q. between Bt. Lout and Lincoln takos the St Louis rate to Xlnoola or lea. Table showing the distance from Omaha atwhloh a citizen of Interior Nebraska shin ning to Omaha, under the local merchandise tariff, pays the same rate as a St. Louis shipper pays to Omaha, 465 miles distant from St. Louis: 3 St class f relgatSSo from Lowell. Neb., 17 miles to Oman a,agftinst 455 miles St. Louis to Omaha M Sd 4th 6th ' Class A " B " C - D B 400 820 ' 250 fc 800 " 8240" 1T40" 15o " 1240" UO Harvard, Button, " Fairmont" Exeter. " Harvard, " Hastings," Hastings," Kearney, " Loomis, " la 1U6 101 vr 161 161 ira 814 , Kvery point on the C B. ft Q. Une between St, Louts and Omaha, Nebraska, takes the St Louis rate or teat to Omaha. Table showing the distanoe from Omaha at whioh a citizen of Interior Nebraska shlo pln to Omaba, uudor tbe distributing merchandise rate, pays the same rate as aCMoago, IlUaola, shipper pays to Omaha, 60S miles distant from Chicago: Istclass fr'ght,T5o from Dunning.Neb.,865 miles to Omaha .against 5CB miles Chicago to Omaha, Sd " 600 Bertrand. " 223 " 3d sth Mh " ClassA B 0 " D " K 420 " aoo 250 oe 85c 800 " 1740" 10 ' Juniata. Hastings, Aurora, Holdrege, Loomis, Mind en, LiBsoott, auiien, 1ST 151 MS J 814 1H3 226 81 Bvery point on the C. B. ft Q. Une between Chicago and Omaha In Illinois and Iowa takes the Chicago rate or leas to Omaha. Table showing the distanoe from Llnooln at whioh a citizen of Interior Nebraska ship ping to Lincoln, under tbe distributing merchandise rates, pays the same rate as a Cbioago shipper pays to Lincoln, 642 miles distant from Cbioago: 1 st elaas rate, 80e from H yannts, Neb., 808 ir.iles to Ltnool n, against MS miles Chicago to Llnooln d 650 ad too th " 810 " Mh -' stic - ClassA 83o B " SHO C " 230 " " D 8040" " B " ISO " N stick Holdrege, ' Newark, " Lowell, ' Bartley. " Indlanola, " Mullen, " Lisbon. " Beres, " 158 129 12S 811 217 264 354 871 Bvery point .on the C..B. ft Q. Une between Chicago and Llnooln, Nebraska. In Illinois and Iowa takes the Chicago rate or less to Llnooln. STABLBS SROWIBO TBI TJRBBASOHABLBRCRS OF THB LOCAL MISTARCB TARITV RATI8 WHI OOMPABBD W1TB TBB THROUOB BATBS TO TBB STATE FROM OUT81BB POIRT. Table 1 Showing the distance from Omaha, tt wMh ,uu.n n .-i. v.v..l. hipping between two Nebraska points, under the local distance tariff of the C, B. ft O. Hy , pays tbe same rate as a Chicago, Illinois, shipper pays to Omaha, 606 miles distant from Frelrht. Cts. Miles. Jt class 76 from a point In Neb., 220 to Omaha, against 60S miles to Omaha from Chicago 3d " 42 "110 " 4th " 80 " 75 6th " 25 " 75 ' ClassA 80 165 " B 25 1M0 " " C 20 " 170 " " D 17 " 840 " B 16 " 380 u ., .. Table S-Sbowlng the distanoe from Lincoln. Neb at which a citizen of interior Neb. Shipping between two Nebraska points, under the local distance tariff nf tha r Bin u. J?? tb me nta M a Cbioago, IlUnoia, shipper pays to Llnooln, 648 miles distant from Vraight. letolaas fa " M tth " Stk " ClassA B - - C " " D - X CtS. Vllna. 80 from a point in Neb., 870 to Lincoln,agalnst 512 miles to Llnooln from Chicago 66 46 84 26 88 88 28 Sd 1-1 II 200 130 96 0 Iflft 220 220 800 870 TleB Shewing the distanoe from Beatrice, Neb., at which a citizen of interior Neb. eMpptotr t.Hween two Nebraska points, ander the local distanoe tariffl of the C B. ft Q. Ry., fWithiSjM rate as a Caloage, lUlnols, shipper pays to Beatrice, 588. miles distant frorn Sstelass aa ClatavA . e - o . D Cts. Hllea. Su from a point ia Neb., 860 te Beatrice, against 582 miles to Beatrice from Chi'go 64 " 170 " tt : - ire - at - 160 , SS " 840 " . 81 860 " " " Jt " 8M0 , " " m 8814 " 86) " " Q W aW M M sight. Cts . . Miles. .. . . . istclass 40 f tm a point in Neo., in to umana against zoo miles Kansas city to umana. 2d 85 - " 5 3d 26 " 66 .. ... 4th 23 65 " 6th "19 " 60 " ClassA 17 " 65 " " " B 13 " u C II 70 " " " D S ' 90 " " " E 1 " .140 ... The rates from Kansas City and Leavenworth to Omaha are the same as the rate from Kansas City and Leavenworth to Llnooln (237 mile from Kansas City) and Beatrioe. Just think of the abstract unreasonableness of these fourth and fifth class rates. From Crete to Hastings is about 77 miles, and tbe shipper from Crete to Hastings under the fifth class rate would pay as high a fourth or fifth class rate as the ship per from Chicago to Omaha, 608 miles. Auditor Benton: Hew would it be on brick shipped in Nebraska as compared with brick shipped in Iowa? Mr. Dawes: I can not tell you, sir; I have made no comparison on brick. I am speaking of local distance tariff rates. . Auditor Benton: How is it with hay .'and straw f Mr. Dawes: Those are shipped under the commodity tariff. Auditor Benton: They are shipped locally are they notr Mr. Dawes: Not to any large extent. There is hay in this state shipped from one point to another occasionally. Auditor Benton: Don't you know that there were over 600 cars of stone ship ped from Weeping Water to Lincoln. Mr. Dawes-. I am very glad to hear it, and I came here to argue the import ance of the local distance tariff rates in the State of Nebraska. I think with you that Ihe local business done is much larger in proportion to the through business than has been stated by these gentlemen. They have said it is 10 per cent and my belief is that the local business of this state bears a proportion of at least 30 to 85 per cent of the total business done in the State oti through rates. If that is not the case, these roads here are great exceptions to the general rule. The larger tho local shipments in the State, the more important it is for us to get fair and equitable local rates In the state. Auditor Benton: Isn't the local rate in Nebraska lower than it is in Iowa? Mr. Dawes: I wish you would make your argument to your colleagues on the State Board of Transportation and show that, i would be glad to hear about it from you. In this matter of distributing rates, the through rates to interior Nebraska points which Chicago, Omaha and Lincoln enjoy are the same. Now, if a man wants to start in the wholesale business in interior Nebraska, in order to compete with the Chicago, Omaha and Lincoln wholesalers, he must ship under something else than the local distance tariff for the reason that the sum of the through rate from Chicago or St. Louis to whatever point it is in Nebraska in which he desires to start a wholesale business plus the local distance tariff rate to the point in which he desires to sell his goods would be more than the through rates from Chicago to that point direct, or more than the sum of the rates from Chicago to Omana or Lincoln plus the distributing rates to that point. Therefore, in ad dition to these general discriminations against points in Interior Nebraska in home markets, we see another discrimination against these points in the mat ter of distributing business. We see that the rate system we hnve in Nebraska is Interfering with the natural growth and development of the State. For not only ls.lt impossible to ship from the interior portions of Nebraska to the home mark, ets of the State becanse of the unjust proportion existing between through' and local rates, but it is Impossible for the most of the smaller towns to do any whole saling to any point west. Take a great many ot the towns in the State, such as York, for instance. York can have no wholesale business, and it has practically no home market in the State to which to ship its products. And this general discrimination against the State of Nebraska is something in which the citizens of Omaha imd Lincoln are just as much interested as the people in the interior of the State. For it is a very short-sighted policy which holds that a policy of rate charging detrimental to the best interests of Nebraska, is beneficial to its two largest cities. This long haul theory is an old theory. Yet I have never heard the long haul theory urged against rates of Nebraska be fore. The object of these discriminations however is plainly to carry out the long haul plan. Why should the local fourth and fifth class rates be raised so far out of proportion to first class rates if it is not that the railroad companies do not de sire business done between local points on these classes? The people look to you gentlemen, as servants of the people employed to protect their interests for such protection ia these local rates as will give them a chance to do business in the home markets of the State. I trust, gentlemen, that you are willing to do your duty and act on your best judgment for the interests of the people in this section of God's country. I ask you not to make up your judgment solely by a compari son of the rates of this State with the rates of Colorado, Dakota, Kansas or Iowa, and decide that because Iowa has so many people to the square mile, so many miles of railroad and is in those regards ahead of Nebraska, therefore you should not change the Nebraska rates. Is that the basis upon which these rates schedu les are formed and upon which which these rates are figured? Not at all; and in no way can the absurdity of that style of argument which we have heard so much before this State Board of Transportation and before the railroad committees in charge of railroad legislation in no way can the absurdity of it be better illus trated than to take the State of South Dakota, which is as far behind the State of Nebraska as Nebraska is behind Iowa, and find that in Dakota the local rates are better to-day than the local rates of Nebraska. Mr. Munroe: How do you account for the fact that Dakota is so much be hind Nebraska in prosperity if she has the local rates very much better than the Statu of Nebraska; and would not that dispute your statement that the reduction of rates is the only thing necessary for greater prosperity? Mr. Dawes: I have never claimed that low railroad rates are the only basis of prosperity. I am willing to concede this point however: That very often the abstract rate charged does not make so much difference. Take, foi instance, the case of Lincoln here and what a great commotion was raised when the differen tial from Chicago on first class rates between Lincoln and Omaha was 10 cents, when that rate was 65 cents to Omaha and 75 cents to Lincoln. What was the reason? That was because there was a discriminatory rate against Lincoln; be cause she could not get into the interior portions of the State with a wholesale business on a par with Omaha upon a ten cent differential. You gentlemen of Nebraska railroads have seen fit within the last year to make a general advance on rates and you have raised the first class rate to Lincoln and Omaha both 10 cents, and yet you do not hear any complaint from Lincoln and Omaha? Now it is because of an outrageous discrimination that these complaints are largely made against the local rate system of the State. I do not for a moment admit and I expressly deny, that these local rates are reasonable in themselves, consid, ered abstractly, but I do say that in addition to being unreasonably high, they are outrageous because they discriminate against the interior development of the State in favor of eastern Iowa, Chicago and other outside points. Mr. Munroe: I understand you to say that the roads were doing what they could to crush the inf-nt industries of Nebraska? Mr. Dawes: I simply stated that the local rates of this State were so formed that infant industries had no chanco to develop as against outside competition Mr. Munroe : Do you knew that one of the most prominent industries started i n this State in the last few years is the manufacture of beet sugar? Mr. Dawes: I have no doubt that you have given commodity rates, and are willing to give commodity rates to such an establishment as a beet sugar factory, but yl)u are singling out one location in the state, and my point is this: Taking the general system of rates as a whole you are rendering impossible the proper development ef interior Nebraska, and I say that such a general system is wrong and unjust and unreasonable. The fact that you have dealt justly with one com modity is no reason why you shall not deal justly with all. There is just one other matter which I want to call the attention of the Board to and that is an important matter. The State Board of Transportation an nounced that the Chicago, Burlington and Qulncy Railroad, which it took as a fair representative of the Nebraska roads, was earning only about 5.09 per cent upon its cost What does that 5.09 per cent represent? They report it as the percentage formed by dividing the net earnings by the cost of the road. Does that represent their measure of prof ts? Not at all. It represents the measure of profits not even on the watered stock. How then do we determine the ability of the road to stand ft reduction in rates unless we determine what its rates of profits are. Admitting merely for the sake of argument that a reduction of rates means a reduction In earnings yon have found that the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad company's earnings for three years, which include the "strike year" when tbe earnings were cut down to about one-half tbe usual amount, aver aged 5.09 per cent. Now, just so tong as this Board confuses and mingles the : very low earnings which the railroad bond holder has upon his Investment with ! the very high earnings which the railroad stockholder has upon the intrinsic value of his investment, so long as this Board refuses to look into the relation of the bond issue of tbe road to the cost of the road, and the relation of the interest paid upon bonds to the earnings made from the proceeds of those bonds, just so long will this Board cut itself out of the right to act in these premises or ever make a reduction of local rates in this State. Now. as n"t be admitted. betwfo the rights of innocent stockholders and the citizens of Nebraska, also innocent, the rights of the citizens of Nebraska msst prevail. Yet we claim that in assuming that a reduction of the local rates in this State would reduce the earnings of tbe road, the railway officials beg the ques tion. It is very doubtful if the increase ia the local business of the stato, which would result from fair and equitable living rates, would not increase the tonnage ot the road so much as to mike that reduction in the long run profitable. Rela tive to this long haul theory, I will say that before I came west I lived in a coun try where we had the opportunity of seeing the full benefits to be received from its application. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad proceeded on that plan to make the most they could for the time being without regard to the future of the country in which they operated, and the result is the Baltimore and Ohio rail road for a long distance on its line runs to-day through a wilderness. Contrast the condition of tbe Baltimore and Ohio with the Pennsylvania road which has developed tbe local business along its system, and see bow much better the con dition of the latter road is, which runs through a country not very much better, so far a natural resources are concerned, than that of the Baltimore and Ohio. I talked with a gentleman in New York the other day who had some Nebras ka four percent extension bonds of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad which he had purchased at eighty cents. What is the re a? on be was able to get those bonds so cheap? It is because the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad is being operated to-day on the long haul theory, and has built away up in the northwestern portion of this state a line of road along which there is little ccun try which can do a local business, with the sole idea of getting through business. They have encumbered their road since Dec. 13, 1885, with a bonded indebted enss of about $35,000,000 with a consequent increase in fixed charges, yet the net earnings are less with all this increase in mileage and fixed charges to-day than they vrere in 1885. The reason is because trusting to the long haul theory and striv ing simply for a through businees, they have built in a country where they have little local business even agriculturally. And following out the theory upon which these lines were built and discriminating against all local business in the State to-day, they are making the same mistake on the rest of the lines that they made on the Cheyenne and New Castle line when they built them. Mr. Kelley cf the U. P. Ry.: Your argument is that no road ought to ex tend its line into or through a western country? Mr. Dawes: I simply use these facts as illustrating that the C.B. &Q. Ry. is operated ou the long haul theory. If you want me to pass upon a railway prospectus running some three or four hundred miles into the western states, with but a few minutes thought on the subject, I will not attempt to answer such a question in so short a time certainly not until you told me the nature of the western country into which you would build. Mr. Kelley : Do you believe that it is right for the State Board of Transpor tation to adopt the policy which you have been arguing and shut out railroad building in western Nebraska? Mr. Dawes: You beg the question and assume that the reduction of local .rates in this state would deorease the earnings of the r?ad. I say that that is an assumption which you have yet to prove, and I tell you now that my belief is that tho next local rate agitation will be from the bond holders as well as from tne farmers of Nebraska. bond holders who discover that the road is being opera ted on a short sighted policy based upon the idea evidently that the road will prosper whether the country through which it runs prospers or not Secretary Allen: Do I understand you to say that It is your opinion that the the bond holders of the C. B. & Q , are dissatisfied with the earnings of the road at this time? Mr. Dawes: Very greatly, yes, sir, as well as the stock holders of the road. And they are largely dissatisfied with the earnings, not so much because of the reduction in gross earnings, but because of reduction in net earnings caused by increase in the fixed charges. Mr. Holdrege: Is there no reduction of gross earnings? Mr. Dawes: Yes sir, there has been, but they attribute that to natural caus es, and the other reductiton they attribute to bad management. (Laughter.) I mean nothing personal at all, Mr. Holdrege. Auditor Benton: If there is so much complaint as you seem to think there is in regard to the rate question, why is it that some of these parties have not filed a complaint with this Board, as they have the right to do. During my mem bership of the Board during the past three years there has never been a com plaint filed. Mr. Dawes: If they have had as much experience with railroad men in this Stato as I have, they know they are pretty sharp, well equipped men, and they know just as well as I know that they will have to meet statistics drawn from sources to which they have no access. They know how how it affects them like ly, but what can the farmer of Nebraska get up and tell you about the financial conditional these railroads. It is out of the question to suppose that the man who has a greviance at a particular place, in order to convice you of this griev ance and obtain relief has got to come up here and go into a scientific dissertation on the relation of the government to railway corporations. Auditor Benton: He don't have to come up here. Hew was it with the Stromsberg elevator case? It was not necessary for them to come. They simp ly filed a complain, and found relief. What do we find here to-day? Do we find a farmer? No, we find an attorney fron Lincoln. Mr. Dawes: I am free to say that the members of this State Board of Trans portation, the most of them, hare been elected upon platforms demanding the reduction of local rates in this state, and it is a duty they owe the people which they have outrageously neglected. Mr. Holdrege: Where are the people? Mr. Dawes: I think you will find out where the people are in the course cf time. I tell you gentlemen of the Board of Transportation that the refusal of this Board to regulate rates is a refusal on their part to uphold the interests of the people of Nebraska, and when I urge upon you the necessity of a reduction of rates with due attention to the interests of the people of interior Nebraska, as against outside competing points I simply urge upon you a duty as apparent as the Sun is in day time. If this State Board of Transportation will do its duty in this matter, and make its investigation as it ought to make it, it would be sat isfied as every investigating man has been satisfied that our local rates are too high. I will say to you Mr. Auditor Benton that it is a good deal better for you to make this investigation right here at home than it is riding in special cars to the Pacific coast at the expense of the railroads. (Laughter.) Auditor Benton : I guess you would ride too if you had the chance. Mr. Dawes: Not if I was drawing a salary as a State officer and a member of the Board of Transportation and was paid by the people to stay at home and protect their interests, and do my duty. Kentucky Once More. We are of the opinion that August 3 is the most important date since recon struction times. Upon that day it adopted a constitution which makes the Australian ballot system the law of that commonwealth. It also cast over 25,- 000 votes for tbe peoples party and elected a farmers' legislature. This marks an epoch in the history of the state. It must be classed among th sensations of the day that a southern state should so far break its democratic phalanx as to give a new party a place in the great contest that is nowfp.iily under way in this republic. No one not acquainted with the situa tion can appreciate what it means to be a political reformer in Kentucky. A member of the national committee of the people's party from the East remain ed in Kentucky on election in order to better understand the situation there. In order to avoid a riot the people's par ty contingent of the city which he visited went to the polls at six a. m. in a body, and were the first to deposit their bal lots, after which they hastened to their homes. Think of a state where voters must resort to sich expedients to avoid being mobbed. After all hai been said about a light vote and a solid democracy, it appears that the total vote wrs heaviest ever cast in the stale except for president in 1888. The democratic vote is lighter than any vote except in 1887. The prohibition vote has dropped from 8,394 In 1887 to about 4.300 this yar. The people's party, as the Louisvillo Courier-Journal admits, "ia the onlv third party that has polled a respectable vote since the war." Jftw nation. Houses to rent or sell on monthly payments by J. Stevenson with J. H. MeMurtry, corner ot Eleventh and M. Inland Lakes. It is not generally realized that there are in this country literally millions of lakes which are available for water f Arming; in size all the way from mere ponds to the great inland seas of fresh water. In Illinois alone there are tens of thousands of lakes, and hundreds of thousands moie can be readily created. There are in Illinois many extinct lakes, which can easily be transformed into sheets of water by the simplest means. All the enormous "Lake Plan," as it is known to geologists, comprising Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, north of the Ohio River, is dotted with countless sheets of water, conditions beingfavorable forcreating many more by sucli inexpensive artifices as the damming of streams iJy damming at intervals, every creek and rivulet can be made to form artificial lakes. Even the vast arid region, the, "Great Desert" of the West, is specked all over with mul titudes of extinct lakes which can be filled once more and made to teem with life, as they once did. Why Jenny Llnd Left tha Stage. Once an English friend found her sitting on the steps of a bathing machine on the sands with a Lutheran Bible open on her knee, and looking out into the glory of a sunset that was shining over the waters. They talked, and the talk drew near to the inevitable question, "Oh, Madame Goldschmidt, how was it that you ever came to adandon tbe stage at the very height of your success? "When, every day," was the quiet answer, "it made me think less of this" (layina a finger on the Bible) "and nothing at all of that" (pointing out to tbe sunset), "wnateisecouia ldor A "TEH THIRTY." ,. A Te!eraDhwsi Story of How He Won a Husband for a Sweet Girt After "30" comes and the "early morning" is in tbe press, operators gather at one of the all-night resorts and t-lk 'speriences. The other morning they were joined by an old timer, who after listeningto episodes in the careers of the young knights of the keys, was asked to re late the most interesting event in his experience as a telegrapher. "It was a good many years ago, he said, after a moment's reflection. when I was not so old as I am now, and perhaps more sentimental, that won a husband for a girl. I was an operator then in a town out in Ohio. I hadn't much to do, and I used to sit in the window a good deal to watch the people on the station platform of the railroad. One day I caught sight of a young man and a young woman who were in earnest conversation. He was dressed for traveling and was evidently waiting for the next train. As the time for the arrival of the train drew near the young man seemed to become desperate, for he paced up and down the platform, nervously, talking very rapidly. "Then the train came gliding in. I saw the girl shake her head, and he said something which made her turn pale. The train had again started and he climbed up the car steps with out turning to look back. She gave a little cry, but he did not hear it; his train was gone. "It was two days after this that the young woman came into the telegraph office with a white face and red-tinged eyelids. She came up to me and spoke rapidly in a frightened whisper. " 'I want you to send a telegram,' she said. 'You must send it right away. It's to New York, and it must be delivered before 4 o'clock this after noon.' "She was trying to write, but her fingers trembled so that she could not guide the pencil. " 'Let me write it,' I said. "'O, thank you,' she anwered, and then she gave me the address. There were just two words in the message: Come back.' '"Can you get it there before 4 o'clock?' she asked breathlessly. 'You must. He will leave, his hotel then to catch a steamer.' Her voice faltered there. "I'm afraid not,' I said. 'The dif ference in time, you know, makes it hard work to do that.' ' 'Oh,' she cried, 'I forgot about the difference in time. What shall I do?' '"Send two,' I said, all the while working on my key to get my wire. 'Send one to the hotel and one to the steamer.' "She was cryin2 now so that I could not hear her answer, but I knew what she wanted. I never worked so hard before or since to get messages through. And all the while that poor girl watched my fingers with a look in her eyes that made me vow I'd get them through if work could do it. " 'When I turned around finally she drew a long breath. " 'Well.yi said, 'they are gone,' and I looked at the clock. This made her shiver. "She would not leave the office, and as the minutes slipped away I began to feel the dread that was reflected in her eyes. I knew that the steamer must have started now. I felt as if I had committed murder, but was silent and pale. Only her look was re proachful as if I had failed her. "Finally it came. There was a click and a flash of color was in her cheeks. "What is it?' she said. 'Quick! what is it?' " 'It is for youI'Ishouted.like a boy that I was; 'hurrah! he's coming,' for I was so excited that I forgot to give her the message. 1 "Then I wrote it out for her: 'I'm coming. God bless you. I was on the steamer.' She cried over that bit of yellow paper, and I think that the hulking country boy who gave it to her had a choking in the throat, too. "Well, there was a wedding a short while after that. The only one I knew in the party was the bride. You know how I met her. But thecountry operator was at that wedding, and when the bridegroom grasped my hand he shook it in a way that hurt. He sent me a letter from the East after ward asking me to come on and go into a big telegraph office, where lie had secured a place for me." Star Sayings. LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND. There Is Not a More Highly Favored Land on the Earth. Professor George M. Grant, writing of New Zealand in the August number of Harper's Magazine sa-s: "One is tempted to ask, for what other spot has the Almighty done so much? For nowhere is there a fairer land. Nowhere is labor more sweet, or recreation more shared in by all classes. Every township has its park, race course, and play ground; the cities have these and everything else that can be imagined. Picnics are universal. The long summers and bracing winters make open air amuse ments delightful. Sports are taken up eagerly, from coursing matches oyer rough ground and pig stalking to cricket, foot ball and volunteering. From the beginning generous pro visions was made for schools and colleges, the people in the South Islands especially having the spirit of the men who colonized New Eng land. No one with eyes in his head can fail to see that the New Zealand er of today is laying the foundations of a mighty state though he may not be able to believe that one of his decendants is likely to sit on abroken arch of London Bridge and sketch the ruins of St. Paul's." A Scientific' Deduction. " 'Dr. Dowd,' read Mr. Weary Wat kins, 'has found that each cubic incb of soil contains from 69,000 to 2, 250,000 my-noot o-r, or, g-a-n, gan, i-s-m-s, organisms, - Wat's a organ isms, Hungry?" "A organism," replied Mr. Hungry Higeins, in an aggravating tone of intellectual superiority, "is a livin' critter, of course." "If them figgers is right, what a travelin' menagerie you must be!" replied Mr. Watkins. Indianapolis Journal.