New-York tribune., 1881-12-14
MIR. VANDERBILTS ATTITUDE
HIS EFFORTS TO END THE WAR OF RAIEs. les.


Wrl;on, n Vanderbilt denied that he
' .-e' uaa,,ono;hla anv longer, at least, for the
,;nuonoo of the present railroad war. lie
has recently offered to leave the question: -
ditferential rates, the cause OF the QUARREL "
the arbitrament of Charles Francis AuahiS' Jr'
but the other trunk line presidents nave re-
iected the proposal. Mr.. Vanderbilt iepea'1e
his former suggestion that the dispute shouiu
be settled by the business men OF the country
as the railroad managers were uhaDio ~
agree. He declared that MS posi'ion -
struggle was unchanged.
HOW AGREEMENT MIGHT BE REACfiED'
The prospect of a settlement OF 'no 'iunA
fine railroad war seems to De very i'nioOe'
Rumors of a probable peace in the near future n"'o
been widely circulated recently, but wmie 'hese
minors have been constant they have been also con-
tradictory 1t has been sad that there were ho l',
differences between the trunk line presloeh'S' d"u
that permanent peace was possible ''' any ',i"
whenever they might meet. 1t has been SAID Una,
,ho, roro vaor,, of the conflict and anxious to end
a bnt that each one was loath to be first III offering
overtures of peace.
There have been recently some negotiations tliat
tended toward a settlement of the troubles ou'
they have proved idle. At a meeting OH oa'u'"'y
Mt the Erie Railroad offices, Presidents Je"et' u
the Erie and Roberts of the Pennsylvania were IN
consultation for a long time Nlce-fresldeht nut.
ter of the New-York Central, was present part ol
tbe time but the Baltimore and Ohio was
not represented, although Vice-Presldent hoo-
ert Garrett was then in the city. 1t is uh-
derstood that President Garrett sent leu
Tor to Mr. Jewett, in which he declared
that he would make no settlement that dld not
recognize the geographical position OF the railroads.
On Monday meeting of the general aud Eastern
freight agents was held at Commissioner Flhhs
Office to discuss rates West bound freight All
the trunk lines represented, and an agreement
subject to the approval of the presidents, was mace
by which West bound freight rates were 10 De au-
yanced to the basis of sixty cents frst-class new
York TO Chicago About month ago the Pennsyl-
yania and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroads adopted
this RATE but the Erie and the New-IOrk Cen
tral retained the previous rate OF 40 cents. Inc
agreement of the freight agents made on MONDAY
contemplated the adoption of the go cent rate oS
all the lines but 1t allowed the former differences III
favor of Philadelphia and Baltimore. ms agree
ment was submitted TO William Ii. Vanderbilt yes
terday morning and he refused positively 10 give
his approyal His decision made known at once
to the other companies.
Referring to his position in the railroad contest
Mr. Vanderbilt said to a TRIBUNE reporter last
evening:
'Since my last talk with you when / suggested
the possibility that this question OF diferenud
rates might have to be left for settlement to the
business men of the Atlantic ports have received
many letters from all parts of the country in praise
of nv attitude. These letters have come from rail-
road men and from those engaged in all KINDS OF
other business and they all agree that IN this sug-
gestion struck the key note. Thinking over these
things told Mr.. Rutter day. that he might
offer TO the trunk line roads to leave the question OF
differental rates to arbitration. l suggested that
Charles Francis Adams jr., of Massachusetts, would
be an excellent arbiter because he was familiar
with the whole question, aud moreover has ma
tional rcputation This railroad question is a mat
ter of national Importance and In order that the ar
bitration should command the respect OF the world
and the observance of the railroad companies, IL
seemed TO rae that man like Mr.. Adams should be
chosen 10 decide it. l have no personal acquain-
tance with Mr.. Adams although believe l have
met him once or twice but l know of him as an
able and impartial man whose decision In
this matter | should be willing to
abide by. My idea was that the business men, the
Boards of Trade and the Chambers OF Commerce
should discuss this question of dlferentlal rates
before the arbiter, and that he should decide what
differences existed. This proposal MIR. Rutter sub
mitted to the trunk line presidents within week
and it was rejected. They are always willing ap-
parently to leave questions of railroad management
by it; but when there is possibility that might
gain bv IT. they refuse. 1t is the old tTick-heads
win, tails you lose.7
Your approval Of the agreement on West bound
freight would have been complete surrender Oh the
principle for which you have been fighting, would
ID notf the reporter asked. 80 ~
"A complete surrender OF everything" blr. van
derbilt reped "and when the agreement was
ahown ne this morning said at once that a partial
settlement Of the question was aosoiately mpoSslji
@lofx han fly NJ
fx it all around-EaSt bound and West bound all at
once The matter is a very simple one IN some re-
spActs All we have TO settle IS the question as TO
what differences if any should be allowed III rates
to other seabcaTd cities.
claim that there should be none; that rates
frorn the West should he uniform TO Baltimore and
PHILADELPHIA and New-York. But II there are any
differences am willing to allow then. Only Viii
say what they should be. am fighting New-YOrk's
great battle going to fight il to the end lhave
done all that man can do to bring about peace be-
see no reason Why the business men of the country
should not settle the dispute. What they can en-
dure in their business the railroads certainly can
Were the former allowances in favor Of Balti-
more aud Philadelphia too greaoT the reporter
They were preposterously large was the reply ;
"and the best proof Of u is hat they were not OBJ
served We could not stand them, and consequently
had 10 met the difficulty in another way. j, who
signed the rebate checks Of tie Central, kno" how
ranch wo paid out right along 70 meet thus dis
elimination. s;rne of the presidents may deny
that they paid rebates Perhaps their checks were
signed by an auditor or other officer than tue
president; but know they could not get the busi-
ness ct the difference in rates. We coud not at any
event and when they said they charged the flll
rates told them the statement was false Why the
Pennsylvana could not stand even the difference of
one cent between Philadelphia and baltimore. II
these differential rates just, why do New-fork
merchants like David Dows and others, have to es
tabllsh branch houses at Baltitnoref They GER
tainly would not do 90 If the rates TO New-York
were equally favorable TO them"
"is your position in this contest then unchangedg"