Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-09-28
SOME INTERESTING DEBATE ABOUT
POOLS"

Colonel Albert Fink, the well-known
railroad tariff expert, whose statistical
statements and estimates are always accu-
rate, and whose judgment is received with
consideration even by those who take issue
with him, has written letter to the editor
of the st. Louis Globe Democrat on the
question of railroad pools, that is espe.
cially worthy Of notice. In discussing the
question of diversion of freight as a means
to maintain established tariffs, the paper
in question asked, sis it Just that ship
per who desires to have his freight go over
certain road should be charged higher
rate than is exacted for the same quantity
of freight, under the same conditions, of
another shipper, whose goods go over the
same road, but who does not care whether
they go by that route or another? The
Globe thinks this unjust" says Mr.. Fink,
''but think tits not" He then proceeds to
explain what he means by his disagreement
with the journal. If there is ipjultice in
il the shipper is the cause Of it. The con-
ditions under which companies become
shippers over other lines and assume risks,
are the same to all shippers. All can avail
themselves of the same advantages, if they
desire. When company diverts freight,
it recognizes the obligation to
secure to the freight the same promptness
and facilities as would have been given
over the road originally selected. The
service is, therefore, the same over each
route, and the charges the same. Except
prejudice, therefore, in favor of given
road, it can make no difference to the ship
per, aud business men who are sensible do
not usually spend money to answer the
demands of prejudice. If, however, he
does desire to pay more to crafty his
prejudice he receives full value in the ser.
vice performed for him, and cannot have
just cause of complaint against the com.
panies.
The very object of diverting freight in
the pool system is to break up favoritism,
which in the end must punish some ship
pers and some carriers, and instead re-
quire all shippers to pay like rate for
like service. This is precisely what the
anti-railrosd sentiment, Mr.. Fink might
well have added, has so loudly clamored
for. Ii shipper ships over a particular
route it is reasonable to infer that he does
so because he secures lower rates or special
service which he cannot secure over an
other route. To break up this favoritism
by roads, and give all shippers equal rates,
is one of the objects of the pooling system,
he explains.
This leads the Globe Democrat to remark
that Mr. Fink's franknesa and intelligent
discussion is of service to the public, and
goes far to remove prejudice. It adds
that there has been and is much uncalled-
for denunciation of railroads, while on the
other hand there is urfairness in charging
all those who condemn Determinations
against shippers as communists and as IA
voring confscstion. "If too many anti.
monopolists talk rashly, too many railroads
give them occasions" by reticence concern
ing the facts of indebtedness, earnings,
stocks, ETC., and by occasional discrimiua-
tions that cannot be justified The paper
then adds: No well-inforned man now
brings charges of extOrtion against rail-
roads of the country as whole, or against
pooled lines There is no general complaint
that through rates are too high. Pools
certainly do not encourage extortion." In
a second article thereafter the same jour.
nal arrives at the conclusion, which is an
eminently correct one, that unrestricted
competition must demoralizs the service of
trsnsportation-giv some shippers undue
advantages, and ruin Others, and even
actually bankrupt rival lines. This might
not be if human nature was different, but
In railroading men have TO be taken as
they are. Unrestricted rate-cutting en-
dangers business it adds as it renders in.
vestment and venture uncertain, and causes
extreme fluctuations. But TO return to
Mr.. Fink's letter, from which e have been
led by these passing reflections. he points
cut that in pooling there are no restric-
tions imposed against any road to the
agreement making as low rates as it pleases.
1t is only provided that ouch rates shall
not be made secretly, and that they shall
be made alike TO all shippers. Injustice
COMES in when secret rstes are made to