The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-18

-four was shipped by this route from Louisville to
New York for fifty cents a barrel. Other freight
such as pork, lard and whiskey, was taken from
these and other points on terms equally low. AT
the same dates flour from Parkersburg to Baltimore
had to pay about seventy cents per barrel. Such
facts as hese.although denied and attempted to be
--,~NeaIed, coming to The knowledge of some of
onr merchants, gave rise to the charges of dis
elimination against Baltimore, made at a meeting
OF the Corn and Flour Exchange, by Mr.. James
E. Tyson, and led TO the raising of Select Com
mittee of the present House of Delegates to in
uure into their truth. That the evidence was
conclusive on that point is shown by the follow.
ing extract from the report of that Committee
Your Committee find from documentary evidence be
fore them that the charges made by said Tyson
been fully maintained and they admitted 10 be
by the said President (Mr. Garrett) Doc b. b. House Of
Del, l.
The circumstances attending this discrimina-
ton were thus explained by the discrimination:
Mr. GarrettDuring the period of the contest between
the NEW YORK CENTRAL ROAD by the Southern Line, the
rates Irregular and the President stated to the
Board imperative make great sacrifices in
order maintain the principle Of discrimination in favor
of Baltmore-that it would be necessary to carry the
war into Afrca-and that irregularities in rates must
ensue-that the severe the battle the sooner we
would conquer peace and return to remuneratve rates.
and the President had the satisfaction of receiving the
unanimous vote Of the Board approving his and
comforting full powers to exercise his discretion during
that period of difficulty. Testimony. PIP. 40
1t therefore appears that the BALTIMORE AND ONO
Railroad was content to receive about thirteen
cents per barrel for New York Flour, which pass
ed over its whole line, while it demanded three,
four. or five times that amount for the same SER
vice performed for this city-and that all this
was done solely to 'maintain the principle
"of discrimination in favor of this city"-a very
curious illustration of unexpected operation
If n principle indeed 1t was, however, in the
midst OF a campaign; for it seems that at the very
moment when LOUIS NAPOLEON was doing battle
against Austria, Mr.. GARRETT was carrying 'the
"war into Africa" Both commanders well knew
that ''the more severe the battle, the sooner a
'peace would be conquered, - and with equal for
tune each effected his respective object in the short
space of some two months, and these identically
the same--making an historical parallel altogether
worthy the pen of PLUTARCH. Toward midsummer
everything was accomplished in both instances
the Austrians were driven out of a part of Lom-
"t0 remuperage rates." What became of the
great principle of discrimination in favor of Bal
timore'' does not so clearly appear As it is
known that the French Emperor was content to
accept good deal less than he claimed at the
outset it is possible that our President, in cons-
deration of the Hreturn to remunerative rates ="
let the principle of C discrimination in favor of
Baltimore slide. 1t seems indeed, to have been
understood, in the progress of the investigation
before the Committee, that after the termination of
the "African campaign" the tremendous sacri-
- fees made at the expense of this city were to
cease. There was, at least a Scotch verdict of
"not proven" as regards charges of unfavorable
discrimination after that time as the following es-
timony indicates -
Mr.. GARRETT.--In seeking for any discrimination
against the city of Baltimore has the witness found any
since last June2
Mr.. TYsON.-I think have.
Mr.. GARRETr.-Will you present them p
Mr. TYsoN.-1 will if the Committee desire it; but per-
haps You had better 60 and give your idea in
gard to that.
Mr. GARRETT-I call attention to the fact that during
April and May, and perhaps i'll two cases in the
early part of june the great conflict existed with the
Northern roads. Everything Irregular, for
lighting the grand battle of Baltimore interests But
Mr. President all this evidence does not touch the policy
the Company, and since the agreement confirmed
about the first of June, not single of discrimination
has existed according to the gentleman's state
ment
Mr. TYsoN-I would merely suggest that these con
llcts may occur again. They certainly are very dis
astrous to our trade
Mr.. GARRETT.-Is the 1vtness prepared TO ans,uer my
last question ?-[ Testimony, PIP. H. II.
1t was, indeed, time to recall the witness to
the question, as otherwise there was no telling
what awkward and Irrelevant suggestions he
might make and it must be admitted that, in
support of his charge of discrimination against
Baltimore after the agreement" he had nothing
better 10 rely upon than the 'tol sheets of the
Company, Published in New York, and that he was
triumphantly put down by statement of Mr.. GAR
RETT, that the Company did not adhere to its own
published rates. Thus nothing but written pro-
mise to discriminate against Baltimore was proved
upon the Company subsequent to the Conquest
of the peace" and that promise Mr.. GARRETT AYERS
the Company did not keep. Upon this point,
therefore, the Committee say that they
had placed before them toll sheets issued in New York
by the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad Company to take
effect respectively at the period in November last
which sheets show their face great discrimination
against Batmore but as it was proved by the officers of
the baltimore and Ohio Railroad that the charges made
by that Company not in accordance with the
printed on the Sheets your Committee ruled them as
eydence.-Report, p. ..
1t thus being made to appear that the case
really was only New York tricked, and not Bal
tlmore Disseminated against the Committee
seemed to think Mr. GARRETT's explanation per-
iectly consistent with the ''policy' of the road;
and that the false toll-sheets might pass as a
stratagem, to be overlooked if not approved, of
one who had lately been fighting in Africa.
where the rules of civilized warfare are not
strictly observed We confess that we read the
testimony before this Committee, and particularly
this part of it, at the time it was taken, with
amazement. We could not reconcile the facts
established-we will not say with the 'tpolicy"
of the management so often proclaimed, of favor
ing the trade of Baltimore but with the common
principles of upright dealing. Compelled to
admit a ruinous discrimination against Balti-
more, for period of more than two months, the
Company had no other means of refuting charge
that the same discrimination was subsequently
and Systematically practiced, than by alleging its
own bad faith in not abiding by its own printed
schedule of rates published aud circulated by
itself. As, however, at the time of the adjourn
ment of the Legislature it was generally supposed
that the management had resolved for the future,
to treat the interests of the city of Baltimore with
and did allow, these very extraordinary develop
ments TO pass without comment. We have al
ways wished to avoid all appearance of hostility
to the management Of the BALTIMORE and ONO
how much the interests of
this community are bound up in its prosperity,
md how much allowance must be made for things
which at first sight. do not appear susceptible
If favorable explanation. We had determined
Utmost to close our ears to complaints against the
'oad, knowing as we do, upon what trivial
grounds complaints sometimes arise. 1t was not
Until such facts as those we have recently pub
ished in regard 10 the cattle trade, were forced
lpon our attention again and again, that our
ense of duty to this city compelled us to take
he ground we have taken, and shall maintain,
against the present control of our great road. 1t
las has entirely forfeited our confidence, because it
las deliberately and repeatedly abandoned all the
grounds on which confidence can repose. 1t was
terribly against our interests in
May and June of 1859. Last November it pub |
lsnea In the streets of New York pledge to do |
the same thing. In the cattle trade we haya
SHOWN. beyond all controversy, that it is fear |
fully, foolishly, wckedly, discriminating AGAINST
this city at this very moment 1t has endeayored
to shield itself from charge of peridy to Balti
more, by alleging perfdy to New York. That
we have been, or shall be, able to detect and ex
pose all lis msdeeds, or any considerable part of