Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-19 00:00:00

RUINOUS RAILWAY COMPETITION

THERE can be no doubt that competition is a
very good thing—in reason. Our rapid and
successful material progress, in this country, is

very much owing to competition, as opposed, that
is, more particularly to monopoly and undue
restriction. Competition, however, as the art of

endeavouring to gain what another is endeavour-
ing to gain at the same time, requires judgment
slid fairness in its exercise ; and if that which is
to be gained is not worth the cost, when divided
between two, its pursuit in such a case, as an

object of continuous contest, were of more than
questionable propriety. There may be a spirit of
emulation at work, which will be good if only it
be free from envy and malice—vices which are,

however, very apt to creep in, where there is
rivalry and opposition. The great restraining

principle, when such competition is in private
hands, is that of gain and loss. The object is gain ;

but if loss is the continued result, then is it
generally abandoned, always, we may say,

except where it has degenerated into something
vicious, as well in its character as in its end. As,

for instance, where one man may be bent on

injuring or ruining another, and so strong, so
uncontrollable is the malicious spirit urging him
on, that he does not care to injure, or even to ruin
himself, so that he may but wreak his vengeance
on his rival.

It is often much the same with public Com-
panies, as with private individuals,—only with
this difference, as .regards the extent of, and the
persistence in, competition, that the loss, being of
less individual importance to those who carry it
on, from its having to be divided among many, is
not always found to have that restraining in-
fluence with companies, as it has with individual
concerns. It is, of course, injudicious, and there-
fore injurious competition that we would condemn,
in the one case as in the other. And it is to be con-
demned, alike in principle as in practice, where it is

injurious to those engaged in it, even although the
public may be temporarily benefitted by it. We
are to look at such a questioh, not as it may hap-
pen to affect us, here and there, individually, but
as it may operate generally on the welfare of the
country, or otherwise

Railway competition is

too often of this character—a competition that
may seem to be the source of increased accommo-
dation, and greater economy generally, in travel-
ling, for the time that it lasts, but which may be
very injurious, very ruinous, all the while, to the
Companies, or one or other of them, that are

engaged in it. For the Railway interest is, because
one of the great monied interests of the country,
an interest that has absorbed somewere about four
hundred millions of the national capital, is not
one, it thust be evident, that can be impaired, or
in anywise endangered, with impunity.

We were led into such reflections as these after
reading the report in our columns, a day or two
since, of the meeting of the Lancashire and York-
shire Railway, at Manchester. There was a single
paragraph in the Report which indicates just that

very mischief which we have been alluding to---
that, namely, which declares, that " the London
and North Western Railway Company have
brought bills into Parliament for lines which will
enable them to get to Bradford, Wakefield, &c.,
and thus divert traffic which is already sufficiently
This.

THE NORTHERN TIMES 4TVRDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1859

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.--FnioAv.
CONVEYANCE OF COPYHOLD.
Lord Brougham presented a petition for facilitating
the conveyance of copyhold. He 'took the opportunity
of commenting on the legal question arising out of the
transfer of real pioperty.
The Lord Chancellor made some remarks on the same
subject.

EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND,

The Earl of Airlie asked if it was the intention of the
Government to introduce any' easure for the furtherance
of education in Scotland.

The Earl of Derby said that no bill had yet been pre-
pared, but the Lord Advocate was in constant communi-
cation with the Sdottish members, and would be ready to
introduce any moderate measure which, in the present
conflict of religious sects and interests in Scotland, had
any chance of proving capable.
Lords Campbell and Brougham said a few words on the
question.
Their lordships adjourned at 6.15 p.m.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

-FRIDAY

NEW MEMBER

Mr. Whiteside took the oath and his seat for Dublin
University.

REFORM

Mr. Baxter gave notice that on Monday, on a motion
for going into Committee of Supply, he should move a
recommendation to the effect that the Reform of the
representation in England, Ireland, and Scotland, should
be considered together, and not as separate measures.