New-York tribune., 1879-06-07
perience and education what that public needs
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NEV BOARD OF ARBITRATION

| 4 NEV BOARD OF ARBITRATION.
The selection of Charles Francis Adams, jr.,
David A. Wells and John A. Wright. as a
permanent Board of Arbitration to settle any
differences which NAV arise among the trunk
railroads IN respect to the pooling OF earnings
or rates charged, is a remarkable step. 1t is
understood that these gentlemen have all
accepted the positions rendered them, ana
| that various questions arising out OF the new
agreement at Niagara will soon be sub
mitted to their decision. Mr.. Adams
has been widely known as the chair
man of the Massachusetts Railroad Commits
sion, and his writings on railroad problems
have attracted general attention. His 0pln-
ions appear to have changed not little
within the past three years. III regard to the
best solution of the problem of railroad com
| petition, but his experience in the M sssachu-
| setts Commission has qualified him to be very
efficient and useful in the position to which
he is now invited. Mr.. Wells has been still
more widely known as writer and student
| of financial and economic questions, ana MS
recognized ability and character would give
much weight to a decision of the commission
| should he accept the appointment. Mr.
Wright, formerly connected with the Penn
sylvania Railroad, was the author of the we'll
known and very able report of the inyestl-
| eating committee on the affairs OF that road,
| and has since been connected with President
Jewett, of the Erie, as an assistant. Ills said
| by The Railroad Gazette that he. has special
qualifications for the position, by reason OF
his familiarity with practical questions OF
traffic.
The appointment of these men, by
unanimous vote of the representatives.
of the trunk lines, indicates on their
part real desire to arrive at reason
able basis of cooperation. At the meeting
held on March 6, the Executive Committee
of the trunk lines recommended, as a solution
of the existing difficulties, a permanent pool
ing of receipts on freight from the West Az
q subsequent meeting of the joint committee,
held April 23 and 24. at which the repre-
sentatives of the Eastern trunk lines were
convened with representatives. OF the chlet
railroads of the West, it was pro-
posed that the plans submitted by the
Eastern Executive Committee should be
adopted. and that permanent Board or
Arbitration should be appointed, TO which any
differences of whatever nature arising IN the
Joint Executive Committee, in respect to the
maintenance of rates, or the formation of
pools, or the adjustment OF proportions,
should be referred, and that the decls-
ion of this board should be final and
binding upon all the roads concerned.
Only few months ago 1t would
have been impossible to secure assent to such
proposition, but at the meeting IN April 1t
was unanimously adopted only one OF the
members present declining to vote. because he
did not consider that he was sufficiently
authorized by his company. The joint EXecu-
tive Committee then proceeded to ballot for
three arbitrators, and Messrs. Adams, Wells
and Wright were unanimously selected. Tins
ready agreement Is even more remarkable
than the concurrence of the roads in respect
to the plan of operations. The position of
Mr.. Adams in respect to the Massachusetts
roads is well known Mr.. Wells has been
actively connected with the reorganization
committee of the Erie Company, and Mr..
Wright has been associated with the president
of that road Nevertheless, these gentlemen
were formally selected by the representatives
of all the trunk lines.
The onnointmeut of n Board of Arbitration,
with very broad powers, does not by any
board will be permanently respected. With
out doubt there is a sincere desire on the
mart of the managers of the trunk lines TO
arrive at some agreement The most costly
and destructive competition has hitherto re-
suited. not from reckless disposition on the
part of the managers of the great roads, but
from the unrestraned zeal of the local agents
at Western cities, who have made rates very
much TO suit themselves. Virtually, they
have sold TRANSPORTATION over the great rail-
roads without consultation with the managers
of these roads often without much respect to
the general policy adopted by these managers,
| and at times, it is said, without regard to the
formal orders given them. In every time Of
sharp competition the struggle OF these agents
| to draw business from each other has been
the chief cause of a reduction OF rates
below living point. In many cases.
too, charges of fayOritsm have been
brought against the managers of trunk
lines, and upon Investigation tho difficulty
has been traced directly to some irresponsi-
ble local agents in Western cities. Unques-
tionably it is to the interest of the managers
and stockholders Of the great trunk lines
| to put an end, rs far as possible, to this reck-
| less sale OF transportation over thelr ROADS oy
irresponsible parties. But the difficulties to
be met in the organization and management
of the pooling system are much greater than
those arising from the conduct of such officers.
1t is by no means clear that the new plan
will remove those difficulties, even with
Messrs. Adams, Wells and Wright as arbitrators,
but the endeavor will be watched with pecu-
liar interest, because Of the new spirit which
| their selection manifeSts.
OYER THE WATER
| Ont going steamers in this first we elk of