New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-27
RAILROAD DlSORiMINATIONS.
ALETTER FROM +. b. THURBER.

A
THE HARDsHIPs or SMALL sH1PPERs-INJURIEs
WHICH THE RAILROADS IMPLICIT AND TIE PUB
Lie rOLERATEs--A SPIRIT RISING WHICH Will.
NO TOLERATE THEM MUCH LONGER.
TO the EdttOr Of Thc Tribune.
SIR: In your editorial entitled Railroad
LEGISLATION" published to-day's TRIBUNE, you say :
Again. Section 40 prohibits any preference OF large
shippers which absurd as II an act should prohibit
Mr. Thurber or any other wholesale merchant from sell
ing by the cargo OF lower rate than by the pound
In saying this think you omit to consider the difference
between the railroad company and private firm OF IN
dyidua the and receives from the public GER
tain privileges among which is the right OF eminent 90
main the and the highest authorizes
concur in the view that railroad tLereioreOwes some
duties 10 the public which the individual does not Ii
must he remembered that railroads are public highways
that the vote Of the small shipper had as much zoe wtn
comforting tho fraucbiscs under which railroads are
managed IA DID that OF the largo shipper and conse-
quently the right OF the citizen on the highway here
comes in 20 nit the operation the usual prncnle OF
wholesale and retail Tkeaw Of cOnpct Ion, as between
railroads, fas to work to the same extent that II does
be ween md gduasi the time with railroads It
1ocs work all, while, IN the nature Of things Is
utterly impossible in the distribution OF articles con-
umcG by the public, Tor individuals 10 combine to the
Ietimeut OF the public interest.
The pooled lines recognize these principles In their
West bound traffic. for the rate alike 10 all shippers
whether small or large, and tins Is rcdeeming feature
Of The pOUli system. II IN connection VITA this the
pooled would only charge reasonable rates such os
would icd fa return OF say ct 10 per cont upon
the capital actually paid in by stock aud bondhoders
there would be cause FOR complaint OF that SYSTEM
but human Dature'waon uncontrolled, aud especially
when merged Ia CORPORATE organizations. 70 not sui
ceniy disntercsted 10 do this. ard the result IS that
the production and commerce OF tie country are taxed
unnecessarily high for transportation and DO not share
TO pro or extent in the b. nels resulting from the dis
coyery and application o. steam to tac purposes OF
transportation IN short. the many are IN this way IN
duly taxed Tor the benefit OF the few.
have not read the bill under discussion. excepting
the summary which appears In The newspapers, and
therefore unable TO judge OF tho justice OF some OF
tho other criticisms you make, but from what have
read au1 from my edge OF Mr.. 5erne The reputed
author believe that II embodies principles OF sub
stanta justice which bound to be recognized IL is
fact that the compact force corporate organization
acting upon pUlitics has, during the past twenty-five
years. resulted In the legs alton OF that period BEING
largely in the interest OF corporations, to the great de-
trment in many cases. OF the public Interest, ard TINT
whenever IL - proposed TO hold these compact and
powerful Interests To proper responsibility TO the pub
Nc loud outcry raised Ia their behalf, while
the public interest general thing, left to take care
OF itself 1t is only recently that any intelligent
effort been put forth In this State TO organize public
sentiment and bring it TO bear upon the abuses which
exist in railroad management Indeed the existence Of
these abuses has time aud time again specifically
deuied by railroad advocates in the Legislature. by the
press. which, in cases, doubtless honestly De-
eved that they did exist and lastly by Presidents
Vanderbilt and Jeweit their celebrated JOINT letter
wnere they specifically and categorcay deuled the al
legations of the committees appointed by the Chamber
OF Commerce and the Board OF Trade ana IInsporta-
lion which, however, we're concusyely proved, prin-
cipally from the Of railroad witnesses, making
a arvc MN lhgro M
farmers etc. witnesses. who were In readiness for
that purpose.
The public in this state have for a long time suffered
I'm silence an OF injustice hundredth part or
which, II sustained by the raroad-, would have caused
them with tue facilities at heir command. to raise an
cutlery about damage 10 their interests much louder
than anything we have YET heard and it 10 about time
that some fort was made remedy this state OF things
No one wishes to do any injustice TO railroads. ouT
the great wrongs which they have penetrated upon the
people OF this must be emeoled. II IA wrong that
the farmers of tins state charged for
porting their produce rate proportonately three
or hundred cent higher than those OF the Mis-
sssppi Valley II Is wr0ng that some merchants IN ths
state should their goods carried Tor half what Is
charged others 70 wrong that the public snou be
cuarxed more than fair return upon the capital &C,
tuaiiy aid In providing these modern highways, and
the various int now alive TO these facts ana de-
tcrmlncd 10 cooperate untl they are rc'nedled.
Both political plat orms gt he last election made
satisfactory expression Of primo pies me trans
portauon question: ana very Itee hiioer OF Volts
prepared Ia act together, regardless OF party
tins question, decided 10 wait until the party wh1h
mlg be- in power should have fair ceance to remedy
the evils complained Of but II this not done, and cor
porae Influences allowed 10 have he same sway IN
legislation they nave hlh ~ me past an EXPRESSION
opinion VIII be- made at the polls ~ future winch VIII
compel action upon tins question. Respectfully etc.
Nelc YORK. Jan. IL, 1850. h. Is. lHURBER.
T. S.-As an Illustration OF the encot OF giving rail-
road managers the Ight to charge Inc small shipper
more thnn the large one please refer to THE TRIBUNE
of December 49, 1879, where under the mead, Mrr-
ch tnts favored by the railroads and merchants
who are not" an instance given where Mr. Herman
Brock was charged than other mer hants on the
Produce Exchange and complained that the private
rates allowed firms. tie exclusion OF Others
were running his trade that he mad just received orders
from Eu Ope for certain quantities or lnrh bacon HDd
tallow which ne was not able to fill upon prices as
favorable other firms, without losing money, tcetc
As sequel 10 tnis may state that Mr. Brock has since
failed aud only ont III large number OF small
houses on the Produce Exchange that nave been
Gro ded 70 the wall through railroad discrimination
Whom railroad fails. there Il great time made about
IT, but individual after Individual may be financially
ruined raj road determinations without notice being
taken OF It. T. H.
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