Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-02-14
For the Nashrille Patriot.
Our Restrictive Policy towards tn c
Louisville e Nashville Il. H.

/
Our Restrictive Policy towards tn Q
| Louisville &c Nashville K. H.
MEssKs. Editors:-The public are doubtless
aware, that the Legislature of Tennessee, in
reenacting the Kentucky charter of the Lou
isville & Nashville r. &. Co., inserted clause
requiring all freights to intermediate points
on the Road to be transported at the same
rate per mile that governs through Fl Fights,
thus forcing the Company to conform their
through rates to their local tariff; and the
public probably also know that there is now
before our Legislature bill for the repeal of
this restrictive feature. As the provisions of
this bill are misunderstood by many, and
misrepresented by some who have sinister
motives in their opposition to the best in
terests of the Road. ask the favor OF you 10
| publish the bill to the world. that all may
Judge of its fairness, with such buried expo
sition as my limited time enables me to make
The following is the bill:
AN ACT to amend the Charter Of the Louisville and
Nashville R. r. Company.
Be II enacted by Leyistatsre IF the Sat Of Ten
nesee That th 81 Section OF act EMIT ed An act
To- incorporate the Louisville & Nashville R. Co.,
| be amended a tn allow said Company the power
in adjusting tariff OF charges for freight and passen-
gers, and fix lower rate for freight and passcn-
gers through from Louisville to Nashville and from
Nashville Louisville, than may be fixed for inter-
mediate points, and that lower rate Of charge may
be long than for short distances. IroUided
however, that in fxg rule for charging less rate
for long than a short distance the same rule
shall prevail all along the ine OF said road and the
charges shall be tie same per mile on local frelghti
and whether going u or IN the drec,o
be made to favor transportation and trade 70 ole Oh
those places over the Other nor shall any Charge be
| made TO exceed the maximum charge now allowed
by the charter.
BE &c ft1tsr enacted That said Company shall have
/ the power To agree with other railroad companies 10
transport frsy hit and passengers their said Tad,
brougttfrem distant points OF the United states at
less thar may be charged ON the freights and
travel between the cities OF louisville and Nash lille.
This act to take effect when the Legis AZURE Of
Kentucky shall pass one with provisions III substance
/ the same as herein provided.
| Now, here is a great enterprise, achieved
by the united energies and united capital 81
| Kentucky and Tennessee, one, to the opening
of which the entire country has been looking
with such eager expectation, praying the
| Legislature of Tennessee to remove prohib-
| itory clause which singles it out, ties it up,
and infiicts upon its management proscrip-
scriptive and illiberal policy, not extended
towards any other road in the State. Upon
what principle of justice can such partial le-
| gislation as this, by State owning but 80
miles of a great route, of which $50 miles
have been constructed by the capital of
sister State, by whose efforts Nashville has
been put in line of communication with all
the great commercial cities of the North;-
| upon what reasonable grounds OF right and
fairness say, can so Ubiquitous discrimina-
1 h.. No fai min led ma.
| unbiased by direct interest in some competing
road, can gainsay the proposition, that all the
railroads from Nashville should be placed
| upon perfect equality, and be allowed to
enter into free and unrestricted competition
| with each other. This is undeniably true in
! principle. and will meet the prompt approba-
| ton of @ generous public. ] believe so evil
! IDENTIFY just rule will not fail to govern the
present session in legislating for the great in-
terests involved in the railroad schemes OF
our State. But it is to the people of Nash
vile that wish to talk, aud shall, as brief
ly possible, present such arguments as
will, think, show that they are laborng un-
der a most fatal misapprehension in regard
TO this matter.
The natural connection of the Louisville
and Nashville RAILROAD is Southwark by the
Tennessee and Alabama and Central South
ern Railroads, as ultimately, il is hoped, to
form great Northern and Southern route
Gulf-hence the earnest desire of the compa-
ny to have removed any distractions to this
great line of trade and travel. Is not Nash
vile, az a central point in this route, interest
I'd in facilitating. in every way, the tide of
,rade aud travel through this way, rather
than to divert it by an illiberal, Erie like pol
icy. into other channels passing around usf
All the rich country aloug The Tennessee Riv-
er. in Northern Alabama and Mississippi,
which has always traded at Louisville. be-
cause il bad no access 20 Nashville, is about
to be opened up TO us by The completion of
the Southern Central Railroad. Now, by
| constant communication with Louisville, /
know that this whole district Of country is
| supplied with freights from Louisville down
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers TO Memphis,
and then across by the Memphis and Charles
ton Railroad. / am informed that over 5000
horses and mules have gone down from Lou
| isyille 10y this route. that might have been
| brought through this way. The Louisville
Road brought through one shipment OF 100
| mules; but the owner told me that be waited
over week In Louisville for the.iee in the
Ohio to break. and only shipped this way
| because that river Was closed. So with an
| Other lot OF IS malss. What foresight does
| IL need FIR any Nashville merchant 10 see
that the river and Memphis route. by efforts
of N ir agents in Louisville, and by system
of los irrighss. will continue to control this
entisr trade, The Louisville merchant, hav-
| ing every advantage OF the iosest through
rates from che East, can present cheaper
market TO this trade than Nashville, that
fass-s the benefits OF the Louisville road. aud,
in the hlindert policy. denies the road ihe
privilege of lowering is rates. and, eonse-
| quently, taxing themselves 50 cents per leo
| frvigh,. rather than 80 or s. cents. and thus
getting gods - cheap to Nashville as 10
Leaissille. considering The distance. The
road Is seeking 10 establish . through rate
from the East 10 Nashville lower per mile
than fFam LoaissIlle 10 Nashville, and If al
lowed to do this, the Nashville man will get
hss goods ever the road TO Nashville lower
than 9 retailer. purchasing In Louisville, eaa
do 1.-THE principle being. the ioager III.
transport the cheaper Tie rate per nile. So
thai the Alabama aud Mississippi msrshaas