The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-07
Saturday. Januar5 7, 1882.
THE MANUFACTURERS AND THE RAIL.
ROADS.

We publish by request, in this issue OF
the INDEPENDENT, letter of Hon. A. j.
Streeter, regarding the action taken by the
recent convention of Manufacturers with
regard to railroad freight, and other mat
tiers in which the people are deeply inter
/ ested.
The board of railroad commissioners have
established scale of freight and passen-
| ger rates which were intended to be fair
and just for both the railroads and the
people, but which, very naturally, does
not meet with very hearty appreciation
! by the railroad company And the heavy
manufacturers, who have heretofore been
given special rates, are disposed to take
sides with the railroads. The question at
issue is, as to right of railroads to dis
criminate in their freight charges in favor
of the large manufacturer and shipper. at
the expense of those who do a smaller
business, and business men and farmers in
general. 1t would seem that the
same rule should be applied to all, wheth-
er large or small shippers, otherwise the
| less favored would practically be compell-
ed to pay tax for the benefit of their
more fortunate rivals in business.-Re-
sod'tee Independent
The above is a fair sample of the com
ment which is being made throughout the
state in regard to the late action of the
railroad and warehouse commissioners.
The idea conveyed in it is wrong one, not
on account of the wilfulness of the Inde
pendent or other papers, but because they
are not posted in regard to the facts of the
case,
Mr.. Streeter has been exceedingly active
in putting abroad his ideas and opinions in
regard to railroad tariffs, and has uniform
ly given a false impression in regard to
the true state of the case
In the first place, he has tried to incul-
cate the notion that it is the railroads
who are Directing to the present schedule;
that is not so; it is matter of little or no
Importance to them, and in many cases
where thereEis anything like competition in
rates, it is a positive benefit. The class
who are injured are the large shippers, but
they are not in the manner generally sup
posed. More than the shippers, however,
are affected in the localities in which they
carry on business. They in the end will
be the greatest sufferers.
Mr.. Streeter has endeavored to teach the
people that the object and effect of the bill
is to prevent the railroads from dis
eliminating in favor of the
large shippers, as opposed to the
small ones Never was greater mistake.
Railroads have never done this, but what
they have done is this.
They have Disseminated in favor of 10
calities, and for an obvious reason. Rec
ognizing the fact that it is an impossibility |
to make New York out of every citation
along their line. and being DESTROYS of
having all their stopping points as large
and prosperous as possible, for the more |
business in a town on their line the larger
the amount of freight to be carried, they
have made it point to encourage by the |
giving of special rates. any and every in
dustry that they thought would pay and in |
the end amount to something. Such ac-
ton is a matter of pure business foresight, I
and is in principle the same thing as one
of our factories or business houses, making
a market for itself wherever it could.
In order to carry out this plan the Rock
Island and c., b.. 81 @. roads, for instance,
have recognized the fact that Rock Island
and Moline are natural manufacturing
points and it is possible, by wise discrimin-
alton in rates. to build up here, factories
that in the end will afford them vast deal
Of freight, while such an endeavor IN
Geneseo or Galva would be hopeless; in
they have given, to Rock
Island, Moline and Milan shippers, rates