Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-05
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FRAEELIs Co.. Tenn essee. April I'd. 1851
have seen much said in the papers lately by some
merchants in Nashville about the conduct Of the
Nashville Chattanooga railroad. These met
chants complain that there is discrimination in
favor Of produce shipped from points beyond
Nashville. and they say there ought TO be no such
discrimination. / do not know that fully I'M
derstand this Does The discrimination lie in
this: That in order to invite freighis over the
Nashville a Chattanooga railroad. through
freight list by several roads and steamboat lines,
has been egreed upon by which the freights on
the n. & C. Z. R. is less on through freight.
than it is on toay freight. If this Is the
discrimination Though I understand the fact is
denied by the officers Of the road think it Is
detensible. submit lit is anything more than
is done on all the roads in the United States?
To illustrate by the ease: 1.-THE Nashville &
Chattanooga road is carrying the freights from
Nashville upon tariff that IS within the charter,
but the business is limited, have not the officers
81 the road the right &c make through freight
contract with other ro;ds. b. which freights are
turned over their roai though at a reduced
tariff
With ali due deferenue to the Nashville mer-
chants. II seems to me they are looking at this
question from o single stand point. What is the
first duty Of railroad corporation Certainly to
protect and take Of the interests Of those for
whom they act. Who TIRE these persons in this
case? They are the stoekholders-not only mer-
chants in Nashville. hut they are scattered all
over Middle Tennessee, and especially along the
line Of the railroad. And then the largest stock
holders are in Georgia and South Carolina.
Now, must these officers look to the whole. and
falsa Ia hat
who are merchants in Nashville? If they take
care Of the whole. what must they do? Why, of
course they must act in conjunction with other
roads whose interest Is the same, and invite
freights By reducing the tariff on through freghts.
But the merchant says have no objection to
this. but ,oaD freghts must also be reduced or it
is discrimination. If this is discrimination it is
but the discrimination Of all the principal roads
in the United States.
Business men everywhere understand this. and
none better than the merchants of Nashville.
Every traveller from Nashville to New York,
who buys his through ticket and passes over tho
Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road. pays that road
less money than the nan who has no through
ticket and starts at the terminus of that road, and
this is but example of what is done every
where. Competition makes it necessary for
Railroads to work for travel and freights.
j submit to the dispaasionate reflection Of the
Chamber Of Commerce, if it be true that the Off
GERS Of the road are only working for business
only trying TO make money and are not trying to
injure any bOdy-are they not doing right?
1t is true the arrangem ent connecting the Louis
Vile and Johnsonville roads with the n. and c.
Road passes the freight LU Nashville. Commits
sion, storage and diayage, are not paid at
Nashville, and hence all along the road,
and out in Georgia and South Carolina,
corn and bacon and other produce are OBJ
tanned at less expense TO the consumer than if
these roads did not connect. This takes some
money, or rather speculations. from the Nashville
merchant; but then II helps thousands who are
suffering for bread.
If the interests Of classes are to be looked TO
by those who control great thoroughfares, it
would seem that none bad more claims than the
thousands all over the country who buy their
daily bread by their daily toll. Their name is
legion, and their wants are at least equal TO the
wants Of the Chamber Ct Commerce.
] do not maintain tina, the interests Of Nashville
should be entirely overlooked by this road
do understand that il has been done; but on
the contrary, have no doubt the officers of the
road have constantly watched with most friendly
feeling the interests of Nashville.
WAYsIDE STOCKHoLDEE.