, 1873-07-11

different from tho position assumed In re-
gard to !" like qnantitlor," and whtcl, tho Rail
caao tue provision embraces only I" like quantl-
tics, IN tho samo direction and for tho san,u dH-
tance." Tho privilege Of special ratcn IL thus
offered 70 any shipper who can comply with the
tcrnaa Of tho clause.
i may bo doomed strange TINT tho several
Alton Freight Agent abapo the policy for all tho
railroads In Illinois. fheIr ae1uioaconco WIS
based on desire to act in concert. Had tho
roads differed III tho start, and ono company
hed , established low standard of rates. and
not have heuitatol LONG in inforring that II low
would ' be to p't''o tbs other company. liz liz
corrao adopted waB therefore, d safcty move. It
Will, however, bo adherod to so long as 1t pays,
and no longer. Influence Ia alroady bcing
brought to boar upon tho Alton Company 10 in
duce its officers to abandon this posltion 80 far
as general merchandise Ia concnrued. 10 show
how It works, 1t may bo nstancod that tue 20 per
cent deduction n,akos the rate win tho Illinois
Central. lower than by tho Northwestern,
although tho lattor ia somowhnt tho shorter line.
OF course, the Northwestern will not submit to
d loss Of tho businoHg. They are IN poB!tion
either to compel the Illinois Central to maintain
raten, OF else lower tho standard on tho Dixon
4A4ArA4AG " u tO44b eAAAk hAt 1oAAtAoN"iJ
shut tho longer limo ont from h!si~
ness at Dubuque. Freeport, or Dixon. They
would DO onabled to do this Under tho
decision of tho Commissioners tllnt connecting
railways shall DO treated as continuous limo.
Tho two companies named, however. arc not
disposed to retain this Objectionable foaturo Of
their tariffs and, should they fai in inducing
the Alton Company to abandon it, the prob
ability iB, all tho other companies will immcdi-
atoty reinquia It..
f,,r4t,or bcoox,,;&,r n,rorort 4Ln AVN.
panieB which increased tllolr rates. for HllOrt dis
taucos to rnako up for anticipated loHgoB ut moro
distant md competing points. will lave to re-
tract. The Rock lslnEtl alreutly purpose doing
10, aud tho Alton will doubtless recognize tho
sions Of tho comnsuieon esa paS;yl,ed' M il
fhat tho general ] incroaso Of rates
is nnwarranted. 1n this published opinion, COLI
STRUNG the moaning Of tho Inv, tho Commits
sionerB took liberal view. 1t is true that, by 80
doing, they saved tho nw, but it il mono tito less
the interest Of tho companies to avoid every
sembanco Of violation of law enforced by such
heavy ponalties. With tho exception noted, We
havo not learned Of any disposition on tho part of
tho railroad companies toaggrayate tho worst fea-
lures Of the law in order to render 1t wholly OBJ
noxlous. There aro fighting men in every class
and community, and it would bo very strange,
indeed, if there wero not pugnacions few
among the railroad mon with moro combative-
Acb6 kuAA Pfuuontes ..... . ........ .
Tho current belief that tho several companies
arc suffering from hoayy falling of in businesa
ls not very vol founded. Inquiry at tho gem
oral Office rovoalod tho gratifying fact that some
Of them show tlattering increase for tho first
week IN July. This is moro particularly the case
with tho east and west lines, aud II 10 further-
moro pleasing to learn that they are by no means
gloomy IN their anticpat!ouB Of tho possible ef-
feet Of tho law upon tho corporations they rep
resent. They arc unanimous in their doatro that
tho law should be fairly tested and, i it doyel-
Gs ress tney VII equal
Some Little. misunderstanding still exists 70.
gardinG the isano Of return pasaoa to shippers
of live stock. It ia charged that the Alton Koaa
continues to do 30, and, in dafonce, the General
Freight Agent says be has received no orders to
the contrary. If shippers via the Alton Road
aro thus favored, tho Chicago. Burlington d
Quincy aud Rock Island will be forced to accord
the same privileges, mud their iBsling would I'M
pose on the Northwestern and tho Illinois Con-
trai like necessity; and, IT the agreement is
Violef~ IN one respect, 1t IL extremely doubtful
~he aor tho remainder of its terms would DO
much longer observed. As tho nattor now