New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-30
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.


MISSION PROPOSED Fxpl;DTrNcf or NATIONAL
uleuwAYs--ruE AMERICAN CHEAP TRANsPoRTA-
TON ASSOCIATION CAIgD 10 MEET IN WASH
IRGroN NEXT JANUARY.
BosrON Oct. 29.-'Tho following address has been
issued hy Josiah Quincy President Of the American
Cheap TRANSPORTATION Association;
In the month OF MAY. 1873 delegates from several
States NawYork FOR tho purpose " forming an
American Cheap Transpora 0a Association Tho organi-
Eatiou was Effected by he election Of Precedent secre
t4ry Treasurer, tOcothcr with NicePresden1s oiu
the several states represented II voted toat d
meeting Of OfcCrs 3ecgltes OF tbc se'erdI o'"o
Associations then existing, together Win 'loso " ~
1her State Association that might be forn'eo' suou
held IN Washington 90 tho month o! Janua''' ~
also voted thar an address should DC pIep-iN" '
published. setting forth he complaints ass'9' ' 10
.ccucut Of .anc OF tio railroads together VIII ~
r,.ous q measures that might tend TO relieve 'no
people from unouc exac.ons ana taclH.a'o ',"SIV''
ton between the d.Geront states As lhe vi
the gentlemen appointed TO prepare Ac a"uI'9s "''o
too distant TO permit t1cr personal Conference was
thought best tIoy should submit Ie'r vows 70 'o
President a. inc Associa Ion who was authorized 10
nroseat their general crt TO the people wien issuing
no can Tor the Jauuar' meeting. AZ the address mas
NOT pccn submitted 10 tue ether members 81 the Com
,too the Chairman IL alone responsible for TIE form II
i.s taken.
ne enbec should not nc approached without Sr'te-
mi knov Iemcut Of he blessings Witch the railroad
a.. conferred up0D our country. or All the mighty
,oUers that are 50 ripdy changing the LACE Oh 'he
,orlc this takes pt,J3ineutc A. an educator au'I GIVE
zci Th nighy Interest has absorbed the I@rgcSs cap
;ets Tie most active minds, and The most gi'rn pro
.,.ofs O! or ,ae. Much money has been maze b! IT,
AMI great part Of that money has been honestly ana
touorsbl, ca.ucl. Eutcrpusng capitalists who took
great risk fariee men OF business who gave yigor-
aus though. tctle internal development Of their country
bavt made large fortunes aud have richly deerVeu'Aeu
Whey have provided the people WITH moss valuable scr
.ant But TIC Tins has come when II Is evident ual
Gis excellent servant s capable OF becoming nost
tyranuca master We are threatened with the curse Of
special rights special privileges, special iayors' special
powefs, and tae 'uonop0Hes Of ciques and rings An
Imptrta ~ if0perto controlled " the ahlest e1eeu-
tiycs TIA. mouoy purchase scts Nitb peculiar al
yau,acts uudcr popular government II that eteIhai
vigilance which Las been called the price Of liberty ls
not exercised; il aggressive power Is not boldly met
and restrained by wise and reasonable legislation W
are iayInt those bad and lavlcss remedies which aro
too often worse than The injustice thcy assalL
Among tlo many charges that have been preferred
Rcanet the managers % American railroads tho menuoh
az few viii be sufficient for the purposes OIL this adj
dress Mr. Rufus Hatch in his circular upon e Frauds
IN Railroad Management" ofers statements TO SHOW
that at the time publication the watering OF the
stock OF TIE Hudson River and the New York Central
railroads amounted s5757e.7Oo which exceeded tue
tauta actually paid IN oy s75630o He likewise asserts
that the watering ia the Cleveland gainesville. ana
Ishta5ula tho Buffalo and Erie, and the Cleveland aud
Toledo together with Of new capital over old
amounted 10 S2CO6 $40 and this watering Of the Lake
Shore added 10 that Of the Hudson River ana NewI0rk
Central amounted 10 S77GI no. cQualing $4,000 mile
Tot the whole distance from Chicago 10 NewYork aud
paving on every mile annual dividend o. S5.325.
HI George o. Jones, at recent hearing boiotc the
Congressional Committee Transportation corrobo-
rates these statements and estimates that NeW-NorE
sEuO0rQO a year on Hatorel stock. II u also
charged against some ~ TN managers OF t1e Id H-es
al railroad that, while Congress has granted Immense
OF land in order % reduce tho cost cf IoauS aug
the for transportation, means have been cmp0yed
60 separate me railroads ron tiest grants IoG t' ,pu
pose o. dishonesty apprOpdtus these hCueh's Rail
strncted al great cost through the issue OF bonds ana
then leased 10 nues o. which their manaeers mad the
r0ntroi Rngt thus obtained possession OF land
and shares 40 nominal prices and have imposed upon
people such taxes their directors nig1 choose 10
Il is charged tbat while cur several States have
rrautd charters authorizing railfOad corporations 10
cake the aud Of ciuzn aId 20 Issue shares IoI the
construction OF them roads ana permitting them 10
collect liberal interest for all moneys invested. shares
have been issued grauousy 10 sfockbulders with the
Wow Of exaCting interest upon bctinous values and
also that officers or hieuHal shareholders VINO haye
been interested IA express companies, mineral land
companies and ouer assocatons have caused peculiar
privileges 60 DO 90 tuCh bOtes. enabling them "a
unjust advantages over all others VII" depf nd mon
raitOad transportation for the Transaction OF their busi
ness. II is also asserted tAat acc.nHouuoh d' yrtn
refused 10 thcse who have made themselves obnoxious
by exposing the unjust proceedings above specintc, ana
that eilipet, OF merchandise IN favor with
rings have been demtd fair opportunities o1 Compel
ti0u.
Finally It alleged that action Of Individuals il
capable oi resisting corporations welding ne vast pow
disposal OF railroad nanagers IL Is alleged that some
q these managers have "Ireadl packed conventions,
brbrd Legislators and subsidized inGces aud have OBJ
tanned, through corrupt means. influence suoycrsye
the nights Of tho people and most peros To ropun-
hoan institutions.
The cheap Transportation Association asks that these
charges. brought by responsible citizens AGAINST the
managers OF railroads. be thoroughly investigated We
liberal grants OF land iave been appropriated
were Granted
railroad corporations aud 70 consulate sinking fund
which would Ultimately my Gu gu. cohtt'ese. IN e
trost Of she country reduce rates of transportation
10 tue cost Of maintaining the roads. should be 1Ouad
mat these grants covering than many
States have been obtained under false prtonses.
aud usrd for private ACKNOWLEDGMENT ask that they
DC reclaimed from thOac who uUJIstly hold them Ia
our several states have surrendered tie privilege Of
rrhtng their wrongs upon the undersraudIng that
Congress VIII DO II ior them The railroad power of Tie
state OF NoW-l Ork Tor instance may eNy iOt VI. oth
watered stock the estimated tax If ten cents
b9shel upon c2fo ana Wheat ana ns iaf1ners % le
except through the action of the General Government.
For this reason we are 'ored 20 ash Cougess Tor o,
Ough inYehuS3tUn OF tho measures titV HaFt oteh
adopted tc effect the Interchange OF products among
states-IncasUrcs that alleged To have destroyed the
creased OF the necessares Of life In another
tracts the Of freight and passeu
Eers that have given che contractors advantages over
We ssR Congress 70 consider whether il be not expo
dieD to make certain laws for the regulation OF ral
ro.dt jn order 10 meet such wrongs and avert such
dangers investigation may briag 20 hght amt
road Commission, with power upon substantial com
lions ana Ia shate Toiaftons az tic laws Railroad
managers, common carriers should be required BY
law to give privileges 10 customer above another
similar circulp stances. Ali deviAtions price
froln the published schedule made 10 companies or TO
indviouais should be duy recorded in books 10 al times
open 70 tho inspection OF the Railroad Commission,
vel IN 10 citizens who make proper application 10 e&
II is proposed 70 ask Congress. 10 consider the erpe
dency Of establishing national railroads canals for