Show MR SIMON hillSH atLof Whjat Was Done i the Matter of Freight Rates 1 HE WAS GIVEN A POLITE HAG Bat That Was About All The Roads Wil Concede Nothing The West Must Act Collectively Mr Fred Simon president of the chamber cham-ber of commerce returned yesterday morning morn-ing with his family from Now York He stopped four days in Cnicago to see what could be accomplished for the benefit of the business men in the matter of freight rats While the representatives of the different roads were very courteous and polite i required no extraordinary sagacity saga-city to find out that they would concede nothing except what we would be able to obtain by virtue of our own strength There is one thing certain ho said that the business men of this city not alone of this city but of tho entire west must aot Collectively with the same energy and strength which every individual puts forth who desires t make his own business fairy successful Notice for example how other organizations in large cities work to I gain such points as they think willa benefit their own community or their section of the country The transportation bureau of New York think nothing at all of sending out 500 invitations to a grand dinner inviting thereto the most prominent promi-nent men of the country particularly such men as they think will voice their sentiments senti-ments In order that the papers appearing on the following morning may contain columns col-umns of speeches which by creating public pub-lic opinion in their favor will bring them the benefits they are desirous of obtaining Such organizations do not only take up the different questions pertaining to transportation transpor-tation but they do not hesitate to broach any other subject such a silver legislation and never rest until they have succeeded in gaining their points and in defeating those they seek to oppose I such policy applies to the strong in order to maintain tneir strength and grow still stronger why should it not apply to the people of this part of the country who are struggling strug-gling from year to year to build themslves up and to become with each year more in dependent for the strength thus gained Looking over the different states as y6u pass through them from th east until you reach our own territory there is no part of the country more blessed than this Compare this territory with the western part of Kansas see the hundreds of unroofed un-roofed and deserted houses and barns watch the dejected look of those still remaining re-maining there hear them tell you that for three years they havent hadmore than one fourth of a cropthat between the drouth cyclones and blizzards they hardly know which to deem the worst and with eyes turned longinglyatoward Ithe west where irrigation supplies a sure and plentiful crop where cattle and sheep thrive in the hills and valleys where are precious and base metals where cyclone and blizzards are unknown and you are more than ready to cast your fortune with your own territory and to assist in seeing that it is developed in every direction But say again to the people and to the business men in particular that many other communities are straining every nerve to make their own cities centres of business and that we here must display the same energy unity of purpose push and determinatIon deter-mination in order to make our city that great commercial centre which nature has destined it by virtue of its geographical location lo-cation and its many varied surrounding resources re-sources |