, 1873-09-16
RAtLWAY.LEGlSLATtON IN ILLINOIS.

RAtLWAY.LEGlsLATloN IN ILLINOIS.
10 The Editor af The Chicago Tribune:
Sin For Bomo years past, our firm has car-
riod on considerable trade with st. Louis. Wo
lave sold Of oir manufacturers thoro, md ro-
coivod from thoro Of Our raw matogial. Wo haye
shipped to aud from, including transfer acroas
tho rivor, ut 25 cents por hundred. But, under
tho prcaont roform-nrrangcment,o our friends III
st. Louis aro charged on our shipments thoro
74 cents and tho ratio on our raw material Is to bo
the aamo. Thia advance cuts OF tho interchange,
for our friepds there can get tho aame comnlodi-
tloa from Cincinnati at tho old rate, as contB
whilst, evon at ono-third Of what tho ad-
vance Ia, cur raw material would laYo
boen entirely cut OF. We find also
that other buainosa-housos arc like Bo-
iously affected, wlllo no QUO is benefited. We
nre, therefore, fully persuaded that. it tho pres-
Ont limo Of legislation is porsistodiu it will bo
alarming blow ut tho prosperity Of tho State OF
Illinois.
It is truo that railways, like other corpora
tons, should bc wisely regulated by law; and,
liko individuals, thoy certainly nro amonable to
law; but it should not be by raising hue and
cry, and by enacting such reckless legislation as
that in Illinois tho past wintor; reckless, be-
and managorg nro pratical crow.
Our firm ia paying auualy at, 900 to 800, 900
in freight Much OF 1t is on material which is
gathered from points within 600 mos from Chi
cago. and which ia noarly yaiuelosB at such
points, aud cau only DO moved md utilized nt
worry low rates Of freight; otAorwiBo it mutt 70
to waete. We haye ever found railway -1nnuagerH
liberal In arranging rates, and active i'll facltat-
ing shipments, Tor this branch Of our business
as vol whoro there Wero no competing lines as
wlero there were. They acted upon sound busl-
ness-prlnciples in so doing; bucauHo, il tkcso
froightB did not pay 30 vol as othora which woro
be charged, still, thoy paid something, aud thus
buainesB-ontorpriBeB wero foatored and othcr
freighting thoroby increased. Our agents also
were abroad, paying ralway-fares, who would
cciyed pnsaes for cur agonts With Wow to facil
ttntiug and increasing such shipments. It is
truo wo could not hhyo expected 10 much had NO
boon located ut q non-compoting or ont-of-thB-
pors; for there railways could only havo done 10
at losH Tho Same can generally bo pnid conceTn-
ing the shipment OF our products. We have also
often paid ioBB rates for longer distances but
lous o1penao in handling on the longor routes.
Tho past winter, WHOM all tho railways were
Hooded with froighta, wo would willingly hnyo
pald $40 por ton to hare lad certain of orr
Rr9dacs fofwardod arn odneoa 1 Eastern 81 ,.e ees
turn with tho products ot tho farm
and other froights oud thogo with ours, ut 31i.
Hailway-oiiicors, at tho Bame time, wcro pushing
shipments to the utmost. ln fact, VIC wcro sat-
istiod TINT all WIS dono that could be dono to
favor tho interests Of shippers. Aud, further,
the rates were placed still lower us as win
tor-oxponseB wore past. In all thia we hnvo
boen gonorally dealt with AZ ono merchant
deA}3 with another.
It ls pertinont inquiry, in thia connection,
whether railw4y,treigAts are higher than is
reasonable in Illinois, or whotlcr thoy arc
higher than in other States. This il an inquiry
which should have boon instituted before raising
II Illinois railways uero not permitted to carry
through freightB at loas ratio por mile thnn for
Hhort routos within tho State, could they thus
bo onabloa to charge loss for the short routes2
Not at all. They would bo obliged to charge
higher. For, oyon at q low rato tho immcnso
volume Of those through freights, md tho ab-
sonco OF o1ponBo in handling md dopos-room
aud clork-hiro etc. (for they 4aye only to attach
locomotives and Anul tho loaded cars through),
paya something, if not enough for ronlunoratiye
dividends; AonGo, lowor ratcH can bo charged on
local buBinesa upon which the railway icgiti-
mately depends. Aud now, it through froightB
aud freights from competing points at reduced
rates arc to bo cut Oft, local ratou must bo I'D
ynncol Ra q consequence.
Tlere can bo no cast-iron rulo for the financial
management Of railways. Much must bo left to
the good Benso and Helf-ntoreHt Of railway man
| agerB. For instance, aomo Eaasort roads cllargo
2conts per milo for passenger-fares, wlilo in
Kansas and other Western Staten cents ia
charged, aud 30 by regular gradatioun botween
the two oxtremes. Now, it ut the East farea
wore advanced to cents, or oyon advanced at
all receipts would bo dlninlshcd; whlle at the
West, il faros wero reduced to Eastern rateB,
roads could not meet e1p0nBoH.
Railways lavo boon chiefly instrumental In
changing the State of 1l!inolA FROM q NAHte to
fruitful fold; roscuing hor fnrmlng population
from poverty, aud placing thom in comparative
case, and oven wealth. Doforo tho opening OF
rnilwayp, farmers within lou miles and upwards
hauled thoir grain horo. camping out during their
Journey, aud scli,ig ut such prices Bcarcoly
enabled them to pay thor taxes. Now. these
farmers, forgetting thesc benefits, aro madly on
dcayoring to contlBcato tho railways. What can
there be in tilling tho soil that cauAos mon to %
might DO added, without conscience, did wo not
remember their patriotism in rushing to the field
at tho call Of their country7 But, aftor tho great
Grange movement l,as Hnpped TUG farmers, and
exploded, aud loft thon high aud dry, they may
bo saller, but they will bo wiaor mon. Like tho
boy who, in fooliny around tha hees Of a mnle,
got sadly marred by kick IN tho faco I; Oh his
partial recovery ho asked 's father If ho thought
ho would oyog bo an handsome again. mo-"
said tho fashcr, "you will mover DO handsome
again; but then you will know good denl
more"
bettor served by community, Of interest,
| "a III tho past, than by Hhacklint,
and a destroying or conaacating tho railways.
When railways are operated by tho State or by
thoir promoting prosperity or being general
| good swarms aftor awar1nB would food upon
! thoir revenues, aud in tho end, thoir expenses
beyond thoir rocoipts would bankrupt tic ua-
| ton VAIL DRorIIERs,
10 South Franklin atEest, Chicago.
Questionable Humanity.
| A curious causo coiebro Inns just boon hoforo
| tho High Court OF pesth Hungary, wlloro 1t has
| beou decided that tho tiniHliuG OF dying per-
son is Au almost yenal offenso, It appearh That
a,,n Eaaba. q ahooMnker By tr0to, clloee to mako