The New York herald., 1879-09-18
INTERSTATE FREIGHTS.

LETTER FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
COMMITTEE ON RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION
| TO THE PRESIDENTS OF THE NEW YORK GEN.
TRIAL AND ERIE ROADS PRESIDENT JEwETT S
| VIEWS.
The following letter has been addressed to Mr..
William H. Vanderbilt President of the New York
Central, and to Mr.. H. J. Jewett President OF the
Erie Railroad. by the Committee of the Chamber of
Commerce on Railroad Transportation. suggesting
Congressional legislation to regulate railroad trafic
throughout the United States -
-u~ "CHAsmER OF COMMERCE
OF THE STATE OF New YORK,
New YORK, Sept II, 1879.
"W. H. VANDERBILT, Esq, President New York Gen.
trail and Hudson River Railroad.
"DEAR sm-The undersigned have reason to be-
ieve that the presidents of the Pennsylvania Central
and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads entertain the
opinion that proper Congressional legislation
nected with the appointment by act OF Congress of
railroad commissions to regulate interstate COM
munication in the matter Of freights, either by rail-
roa1s or by rail and water transportation combined
would be of essential both to the railroads
and to the general public. and they glad to
tice from the report Of the Legislative Committee
Railroad Investigation that you entertain a similar
opinion.
''The committee therefore suggests that the pres
dents OF the trunk lines should cause to be pre-
pared for presentation to Congress ut its next
sion bill designed to accomplish this object They
further suggest that the bill when prepared should
be presented for criticism to the representative Gem
mercia bodies in the several cities the seaboard
who are directly interested in thematter.
"If this plan should be ncursed in and mutual
agreement be arrived at the benefits would be OBJ
vious. ~
ter hao iuctix- 10 cfo{
they desire neither Stste Congressional iegisa
ton which shall no. while protecting the public, be
also just to the rsaroads
"This commttne are also of the opaaion that the |
public will Justly demand both State legislation to
regulate locn traffic and Congressional legislation
to regulate through traffic. and that to this end it is
desirable that the representatives of the trunk
lines snd of the people should work in harmony.
Begging the favor of an expression of your views |,
in reply. We remain your obedient ssrvants,
CHARLES s. SMITH,
~ '.BENJAMIN B. SHERMAN.
JACKSON S. SCHUATZ |
"FRANCIS B. THURBho
JACOB WENDELL,
"B. G. ARNOLD.
&C. C. DODGE,
Special COMMITTEE of the Chamber of Commerce"
PREsIDENa JEwETT's FEARS.
President Jewett at his summer residence on the
top of Orange Mountain. received reporter of the
HERALD last evening. and when asked his views in
regard to the letter sent him By the Chamber of
Commerce. said:-'I have yet received no such
letter; but shall certainly be willing TO meet with
the presidents of the various trunk iues any
other gentlemen representing the interests
yolved and discuss with them how far it is proper.
If is proper at ALL for Congress to establish rates
regulating the cost of transportation Of the products
of country. 1t is very certain that State
can by legislation restrict the railroads of
such State in the carriage of through traffic. without
endangerng the entire traffic of the railroads Of that
State and of the cities reached through such State.
For example, if the Legislature Of the State Of New
York should impose such conditions upon the rail-
Of New York as would impair their ability to
compete with the railroads of other Stses the
sequence would be that the traffic would be diverted
the roads of those States and to the cities which
they are interested in building up.
CONGRESSIONAL INTERFERENCE.
"To place all the roads, therefore, and seapor
cities upon an equal footing the legislation should
be uniform. applying alike to all railroads, without
regard to the States which they located of
the traffic without regard to its place of origin. In
these respects Congressional legislation would be
desirable and may in tho end be necessary to the
protection Of the railroads There difficulties
however. surrounding the subject Railroads
should. far possible. be freed from all political
liable to be involved in the politics OF the country
by being subordinated to Congressional legislation
and control than they while they RESPONSE
BILE only to the State governments. from which they
derive their franchise is question worthy of seri
Gus consideration.
NEW YORK AT A DISADVANTAGE.
''It is to be feared, also that New York and the
New York roads might be placed at disadvantage if
the roads subjected to Congressional control.
II Congress should accept the theory, which has
been strenuously urged by some OF our CONNER
cial organizations tnat distance should be regarded
MS a controlling element in the fixing of rates of
freight. it is manifest that New York would be
placed at great disadvantage as it is further from
the great producing and consuming regions of the
country than any Of the Southern Atlantic seaports.
I have doubt that bill might be prepared and,
probably in the first instance be enacted into law,
which would be just in all its provisions; yet when
we consider the large preponderating vote in Con-
gress more directly allied with the more Southern
and shorter lines, 1t Is questionable how long such
law would be permitted to remain in force.
INTERSTATE VERSUS LOCAL FREIGHTs.
.And, again, 1t would be very hard to draw the
line between that business which call interstate
having been held by of the courts that all that
traffic now regarded rs local, and which is moved
upon local bills yet IL intended to be sent of
the State by the first, any other means of trans
portation the character OF interstate COM
and is subject to the control of Congress- Iu
deed the whole subject is full of difficulties and
danger. While would be perfectly willing to
say that favor Congressional legislation unless it
becomes apparent that State legislation will become
so conflicting to embarrass the roads in the per-
formance of their proper duties to the great busi
ness interests OF the country.
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