New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-24
RAILROAD KINGS IN TROUBLE.

Mr.. Vanderbilts remarks reported in
TIE TRIBUNE yesterday have an important
bearing upon "A great political question. for
the first time, we believe, Mr. Vanderbilt leans
to the idea that the disputes between railroads
may have 10 be settled by public authority.
True, he does not in terms ask interference by
the Government The city, the business
@men,' should decide, he suggests. But the
terms of his statement, if it is to be llg-
idly construed, cannot logically end any
where but in regulation by the Government.
For he says, u have studied this railroad
"matter pretty thoroughly, and am not sure
. that the railroad managers should settle this
"question of dilerenta rates between the
sdifferent cities on the seaboard. OF course the
"railrOads are vastly interested in the settle
"ment of these rates, but what affects us affects
[" the ,rhOle community" The business men OF
few towns are not the whole community.
The civic authorities of four cities are not the
whole community. Whatever else Mr.. Van
derbilt meant, he certainly did not mean that
the question should De left to the Common
| Councils of New-Y York. Boston, Philadelphia
and Baltimore. The whole community is no.
where represented except at Washington. If
| Mr.. Vanderbilt invOkes any restraining or
regulating power whatever, he really invokcs
the power Of the United States Government.
Certainly he seems in the mood to call for in
terpostion from some quarter. lie admits that
there is no doubt the railroad war is a very
foolish thing" and adds gloomy, " AT any rate
4" the railroads cannot prolOng the fight forever ;
L" they are paying heavily enough for 1t now" If
they cannot prolOng the fight forever, it is
because they are carrying for the present at
ruinous rates. But Mr.. Vanderbilt processes
that he sees no chance Of "A settlement by the
railroads themselves For he says OF himself
and other railroad managers " We have done
"what we could with the railroads, and the
"question is not decided. Why should not the
community, which has a deep interest i'll 1t,
/" have a voice in determining this problem :"
If this is not confession that the railroads
cannot agree, and yet are sure to be cuined I'M
less they agree, what is it If it is not meant
as a plea for interference by the General Gov
eminent to save the railroads from themselves,
at any rate it will be so understood and quoted
in Congress within the next thirty days.
Now the community" does not altogether
share the railroad feeling in this matter.
1t does not look upon low rates with horror.
It remembers that rates may be low
their nominal stock, and yet may be high
enough to afford a handsome interest on all the
capital actually invested in the roads. More
over {" the community" regards with much sat
isfaction the reduction OF nearly 50 per cent in
average freight rates during the past ten years,
and is perfectly aware of tho fact that this re-
duction has been brought about in every in
stance by quarrels and wrangles among the
railroads themselves. Many other improve
ments, of incalculable value TO the public. have
been brought about in the same way. AT this
hour fast trains between New York and Chi
cago are bearing passengers and mails over
Mr.. Vanderbilts own roads at rate of speed
which would never have been adopted
had he not been pushed into the step by
rivalry with another road. Observing all
that it has gained by wars among the rail-
roads, the public fails to see why it should in
terferc for the purpose of preventing wars.
Indeed, the community" if IL interferes
at all, is quite likely to interfere in a man
ner which railroad men will consider par
icularly foolish and unjust. We can judge
in some measure what as at present represented,
the community would do by the measures
which are already pending For example, it
would be likely to put stop to the practice of
charging higher rates for local than for through
freight or higher rates where there is no com
petition with water routes than where there Is