The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-06-23
Through FreightS.

The wing OF yesterday quotes some re-
marks made by this paper on Monday OF
the subject of the hurtful nature of the low
charges upon through freights which en-
abled northern cities to send to some towns
south of us merchandise ut 4 lower aggre
gate rate than it could be sent to those
towns from this city, and submits the fol
lowing remarks thereupon:
owe wish that our contemporary had
piyen US the figures TO show tn" extent OF
the evil complained of. But with the great
bulk of freight passing through Virginia TO
the South and Southwest the reduction Is
due to competition with foreign lines in
stead of those within the State. The queS-
ton is, whether it shall he carried through
the State or outside of it. and we confess
our inability to see how abolishins the evil
OF through freight would enable our rail-
roads to carry our own any cheaper.
"On the contrary, it is the through
freight which will enable our roads to
carry local freight cheaper. They only get
enough business to employ small part OF
the capacity Of their road beds, and are
obliged to raise Il certain sum to meet eN-
penses. provide for their obligations, and
keep up repairs. Every dollar of clear
profit made by through freight helps to
wise fall exclusively upon the local freight.
1t is the universal experience that the less
through business a railroad does the higher
its charges are for local traffic.
"The reduction complained of is inevi-
table, unless we give up the through traffic,
except to few localities near the border.
which cannot be reached by lines outside Of
the State. The reduction of charges from
our own cities SO rs to correspond as much
rs possible with those from rivals north Of
us is quite another matter, and is worthy of
serious consideration"
First, then, we have to say that it is not
the best way to have the determinations
against us modified by entering into news
paper war against them. 1t may be better
better prevent the injury the State suffers
from them without the irritation and conse-
quent obstinacy which might grow out of Il
newspaper war. Our object in the general
reference made to the subject was to >timu-
late these efforts, and further to show the
importance of taking the best measures to
build up local interests of sufficient magni-
tude and power to check the palpable "tcn-
dency" (the word used by us) of the COM
petition in through treights to reduce them
SO far below our local frcights as TO be seri-
ously injurious to our local commerce.
Second. 1t is unimportant whether the
question of competitor is as to carrying
freights through the State or outside of it.
The consequence is the same.
Third, We know that the Whig docs
not for a moment suppose that we are OPP
posing "throu9h .fraghts." They must be
looked after, carried, and competed for.
Only the excitement of competition should
not cause railroad and other corporations
so far to forget the local interest of the State
to which they owe their existence as to
crush them by ruinous determinations
against them.
Fourth, and last. We are entirely aware
as much 50 as the Whig-of the inevitable
reduction Of charges on through freights
from competition, and we concur alto
gether in the concluding paragraph of the
remarks of the Wing, which we here re-
quote:
1.-The reduction of charges from our own
cities so rs TO correspond as much as posi-
bic with those from rivals north of lis as
qu'te another matter, AND IS WORTHY OF Sc
RIoUs CONSIDERATION"
True, indeed, and most "worthy of seri-
Gus consideration it is. This is exactly
the point we endeavored to present. Gene
raj MAHoNE's broad axiom was to prorate
all freights. On that we were with him
and that has caused the repeated expression
of trust in him by this paper. He saw the
evil TO our local interests by the unreasona-
bic length to which determinations in favor
of through freights and against local had
been carried, and ayowed his determination
TO uproot the evil, as far us he was concern
ed, by equality and prorating. We al
ways placed a liberal construction upon his
policy. We never supposed he could in the
keen thrusts of competition always pre-
serve rigid prorating. But we inferred that
it mesnt that equality was by it to be main
tanned as nearly rs possible, and never to
be so Ear departed from as that through
freights should fall so far below local as to
infict vital wound upon. our local indus
try and enterprise. There was statesman
ship as well as justice in this policy, and
this Is the policy that we ask of all the rail-
roads Of Virginia, and nothing more. With
out referring to any one of them for
the reasons above stated, we say that
this rule has not been adhered to
and while We desire to see such modif-
cations as the interests OF Virginia demand
MADE in friendly and honorable spirit
upon appeals from our own citizens. we
naottoo strongly impress upon our people