, 1876-02-08

GARFIELD 1t ia moro dangerous weapon
even tllnn tho Confederate records which thoy
hurled ut him and tho Northern louRl-facos.
---e--"--=
THE BOARD OF TRADE AND THE RAIL-
ROAD DETERMINATIONS.
Wo print this morning tic report of tho
Special Committee Of tho Boarl Of Trade,
consisting Of Messrs. STEVENS, BAKER, Porn,
md others, who hayo bccn engaged during
tho past month III investigating tho discrin-
iuationa practicod ngainst Chicago by tho
eastwastl-bound rnilroads. Their report bcars
evidence that these gentlemen havo done
their work we'll nul thoroughly, aud their
own position, rs we'll MS tho Important inter-
ests which thoy represent, ought to bring tho
abuses they havo discovered moro coneric-
uously to tho notice Of the public than any
thing tint hns appeared heretofore during
tho Controversy. Their conclusions aro based
nron testimony Of shippers and railroad men
which covers several hundred pages, and
upon peraoual inquiry md letters in their
possession. Though they hnvo wisely rc-
frninc1 from making public ths 1nasa Of evil
denco, they havo embodied its purport In
their report 80 clearly that perfect caso Is
maae out against tho rnilroaas which haye
been suspected Of unfair doaling, and 1t only
remnins now for tho business interests of
Chicago 10 nnito III roscnting II, and il; coerc-
ing n correction Of tho abuses.
The Committee find that the hetliscriminations
havo been praoiicod undar Tue combination,
or spool" Of the Michigan Central, AIiclli-
gan Southern, Pitssburg It Fort Wayne, and
Baltimore l. Ohio Companies, which, of
cousso, merely follow tho tlictation Of Alcssra.
VAHprnD1lT, ScoTr, and GAnnErr. The main
condition of this combination il, that tho ratio
from Chicago shall 10 intlexihlo, leaving tho
roads 10 lrorate with the cross-lines at tho
interior points to the West South, South
west, md Northwest OF Chicago. The COM
bination does not confess this, but such tho
Committee Inns found to bo the prneticc and
OBJECT, 60 TINT interior pointa equi.<listant
with Chicago from tho scaboard cnn send their
freight ut much lowor rntes, and even points
further AWAY cau nlso ship for less money
Tlose determinations nre worked out in tlrco
wayH rs follows:
l. In tho fixing Of tho rates. Thougl,
Chicago is tho pinotal point wlero tho ratos
are Asst determined, relatively lower rates arc
mado from otllor points. Thus Chicago,
though Us miles nearer the senbonrd than
Milwaukee,, has no botter rte, Willie Iutlau-
npols, about as much nearer tho seaboard
tlan Chicago M Chicago is nearer than Mil
waukco, has difference in its fovor of from /,
to 10 conts per 100 pounds Oh grain. In other
words, though no just concession In made to
great shipping point like Chicago, evory
littlo station and s;de-.rack that il located
any nearer tho point of delivery demand aud
receive cheaper rate,
.. In addition to this open md confessed
discrimination, thero is n practice of prom
ting aud rebating on freight talen from iuto-
rior points, while tho Eastern trunk lines hnyo
persistont!y refused to do this with tho Western
trunk lines ceutcring in Chicago. When tho
local agents in Chicago laye BEEN confronted
with evidence Of these practices they hnvo
claimed to bo ignorant Of them, rs they may
have been, since tho arrangements for rebates
aro probably iuade ut tito Eastorn terminal
points, but in no case in fayor Of Chicago
8. a still moro rcprehensiblo pracs!co, of
which tho Committee hnye trustworthy ovi-
tlence, IL TINT Of untlcrbilling" or over
"slsA'' "l''ea 'nuy "hy ''4 peeh not only
.ole'a'oe p''t eiieo''t"seu ~ tAo ra'lfoa's at
i.1'ef'os l'oln'H' pn' - 'e''ne9 res1h'ttea nor
ues''ce' III cn'easo' ohe ho.ap!o instance OF
tLia practice Is cited, in which tho average
uultrbilling on corn shipped to MI East-
orn city from an interior point waa o6
bushels to the carload, extending through MI
entire month, which nlono would mako djf
ference IN tro'ght charges OF conts per 100
po'h'ls LESS ttah 1ha' az which corn could be
aA'ppoa from chicago 1t 'a not too strong
10 enas"etor'zo lh's custom rs dishonest.
Al theso aro mt different phases OF tho
common @nd perh'htent purpose to divert tho
carrying traao from ch'cngo aa terminal
po'ht' IL III 'he result 0! a conspiracy to
that emu OIL tue part OF the ba!tlnloro& ohioand
ttae fehasy!'ania 1a'lfoaa Companies, which
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