The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-11

hIes Of travel md trAc. n evident that, In the long
run, our policy hss bean the soAo q well for the roads
themselves for the country for traffic begets traffic,
and business IL sure 70 increase In proportion 70 the
deveepemsnt Of internal communications But, in the
meanwhile, tho existence Of competing lines, and the
absence Of any general control common policy
among various railway companies well calculated
to lead to uch sucda contests for business have
this spring witnessed on the trunk lines 70 the West.
This liability Of railroads to periods Of suicidal
petition arises wholly from the want Of proper under
standing between the various companies Nothing Is ever
gained by reduction OF fares below paying points There
is instance in railroad history OF company being bull
lied into concessions by competition Railroad bcges
loss on all sides-nothing more. When the Central
duces the fares the Pennsylvania does the same The
instant the Baltimore and Ohio begins to carry q, loss
the Erie Ia under the necessity o. doing the like ana 50
they go on like schoolboys humping each others facer
until all tired Of the contest. and return 70 common
and paying fares In such contests there
be victor II suggested during recent contest be-
tween the Erie and Central hst the latter would III.
opponent out: had this anticipation been reahzei,
the simple consequence would have been that
the Central would have he'd 10 compete with twenty
stead Of forty million corporation In other words, the
the contest for the fe the worse the victory woud
have been for the Central We repeat that reductions Of
have and never can prove OF any service, and mast
inevitably cause severe loss to ell parties involved
We believe this point to be ccar and for that mat
ter be generally understood by all intelligent rail
road men, that obyiato the possibility ofuture ruinous
competitions nothing more is needed than general I'M.
Outstanding among the various railway companies Of the
country. Such understanding only be had through
the medium Of general railway organization. II
futile to expect assistance from the State legislatures
the general Congress. The only body which safely
and practically control the railway interest is that int
rest Itself
An Association Of the Railways Of the United States,
with executive committee, fixed by aws, and regular
meetings OF representatives Of each company, would
sesm be quite practicable and the the subject
studied the clearer win appear that such organi
zaticn affords the only possible guarantee agAns. future
suicidal Such association should and would
ia me include every company in the country and could
enforce obedience TO rs rules by cutting oil delinquent
roads from their connections. 1t would x minimum rates
Of fare for passengers and freight 1t would naturally
constitute railway court for the trial Of disputes between
company and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES far too frequent
present. and wholly unnecessary. would save the rail-
road interest large sum OF money which is
wasted in litigation Finally, il would introduce into the
railway sy stem unity and cohesion which would tend
to general Improvement in railway Administrations ana
to the consolidation Of this important interest as staple
financial footing the INSURANCE. or the banking int
rcst
There is earthly why, 10 average years.
railroads sbould not, general rule, IL properly
naged interest their cost They cost to buid
the average, sixth the cost Of the English roads, which
pay from three to six per cent dividends their STOCK,
besides enormous sums in the shape Of iateres.
bonds 1t is needless to enlarge upon the steldy
growth OF this country; upon the yearly increas
ing traffic OF the North ard West; upon the habits
OF constant travel which mark people, upon the unex
anped progress of population in consequence Of mmgra
ton, and the natural increase which is stimulated by
millions Of acres Of unoccupied land 1t ia papabie that
railroads pey anywhere they should pay here, and
that If they cannot pay. under proper management
business OF any kind be relied upon az profitable
The chief thing wanting at present appears TO be
guarantee against their cutting each others hroats ana
some security for their wholesome administration Tina,
guarantee and that security appear to be perfectly A.
tainablc by Of the general Rsroad Association
which we suggest.