The New York herald., 1876-12-28
Tho Railway Controversy.

Now that the agreement between the
''trunk lines" is published we1re confirmed
in the views expressed by US at the time it
was entered into. The railway officials
made great mistake in not giving it out at
once to the press. contract affecting SO
many and such widely extended interests
could not long be kept secret, and while its
contents were only partially known repre-
sentations were necessarily madc and ac-
cepted according to the prejudices or pur-
poses of the parties. If the managers of the
New York roads have suffered in any way by
the industriously circulated reports that
they had failed to protect New York they
have only themselves to blame. The full
text of the agreement is q complete answer
and vindication. The contract declares its
purpose to be to establish equal rates to
the seaboard upon all competitive busi-
ness and to equitably adjust that which
is purely local, and provides that all busi-
bills of lading or shipped to any port
locally and then reshipped or exported.
shall be competitive and at the equal rate,
and that the elevator. lighterage and ter
minal charges shall also be upon the same
basis. There was a time when New York
controlled the whole of the export, and,
therefore. most of the import trade of the
country. Since science has tunnclled noun
tains and carried railways over their sum-
mits, and shorter distances and superior
local facilities and advantages have cheap
ened transportation to and from rival cities,
the discrimination always heretofore allowed
them has told more heavily every year
against this city.
1t was plain that if this policy continued
we must ultimately lose good portion of
our trade while upon equal terms we could
not only retain all we have, but regain what
has been diverted The wealth, power and
prosperity of this city are due to and depend
upon it's commerce, and if that is fostered
and protected by our railroads they have
performed their duty. By this agreement
they have succeeded in revolutionizing the
principles which have governed in one form
and another the traffic of the continent and
neutralizing any advantages possessed by
other seaports The mileage basis is done
away with, geographical location is
ignored, the cheaper handling and stor-
ing of other cities is adjusted and
our merchant receives and exports his
goods upon q total freight charge pre-
cisely the same as that paid at either of the
competing cities. Except during the recent
disastrous railroad war we have always had
nm allowance of from thirteen to twenty-four
per cent against us, and even during its
continuance the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road maintained a difference of about ten
per cent, all Of which is now swept away.
Thus ninety per cent of our business and
that which chiefly concerns US as n great
mercantile community seeking to make and
keep New York the exporting and importing
and distributing centre, is relieved from an
onerous and dangerous tax. While we would
have been still better satisfied if the Balti-
more and Ohio and the Pennsylvania roads
had not insisted upon the privilege of
dropping on their way to New York
the freight destined for local use and
consumption in their respective cities upon
basis which retained, in modified form.
the old mileage difference which formerly
governed all traffic, yet. restricted as it is to
limit that prevents its disturbing our local
business, it was not of sufficient importance
to peril the greater gain by refusing to con-
cede it. While the New York roads by this
arrangement have gained great point for
themselves and for this city, the Pennsylva-
D-y4. l.. l..
shown sagacity and wisdom in no longer
pursuing course calculated to destroy the
railroad property of the whole country for
the purpose of preventing settlement
which at some time was inevitable.
If the agreement is faithfully adhered to
it will be a most fortunate ending of the
most disastrous railroad war in our history