Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-23

why goods are carried between competitive
points at lower rate. II should be clear
by this time that the through competitive
rate is not the proper nor the just standard
for the measurement OF the local rate be-
tn cen non competitive points. These
things we made clear on Thursday. We
sincerely regret the Examiners inability to
grasp the proposition, for it certainly needs
to be brought to realization of the truth.
There was no evasion of the question.
However else the Examiner may estimate
us, we beg it will not write us down fool.
Evasion is confession OF weakness, pre-
cisely as is also iteration Of conclusively
answered question, as the E-s1miner needs
to realize. Perhaps that Journal will I'M
derstand the competitive proposition by
one further illustration. Passengers were
carried last week from st. Louis to Chi
cago, and from Chicago to the Canada line,
Tor from p cents to 81 per head, and it is
related that one load went from St. Louis
to New York for the insignificant figure of
two and half dollars. Does any one sup
pose that that through rate, growing out OF
sharp competition, prevailed at stations be-
tween the terminal points where the COM
petitive element did not operate. The
Examiner says: "Lf Il is only worth so
much per mile to carry goods to a compel
ing point, it is certainly worth no more per
mile, the conditions 5sing equal, to carry
them to non-competing point. The
italics are ours they save the proportion
from being the most marvellous of euriosi-
tie3.
But it may be of interest to the Examiner
TO know chat the BEcoRD-UNIoN is not
alone in its antagonism to uniformity of
rates, which means injustice to carrier and
shipper alike, for so eminent an authority
as Mr.. Fink, the railroad expert, con-
fessedly competent and just, holds las prob
ably the Examiner does not know, and so
testified before the Congressional Commits
sion, that where line is built through a
district which without it would remain
undeveloped, that district should IN justice
contribute principally to its support. The
Examiner, however, is authority for pre-.
cissly The opposite rule, for it takes pains
to say that the districts favored by much
traffic and natural advantages should be
tared IN rates to enable less favored districts
to ajoy Ike privileges This is rank COM
munism downright "division doctrine"
and there is no other term TO apply to it.
Carried out to its inevitable sequence,
and it is the counterpart of the
exploded theory of community of
goods ;" more absurd than the doctrines
of Blanc, more dangerous than the infa-
nous teachings of Babeuf and Buonarotti.
But MIR. Fink goes further, and replies for
us to the Examiners inquiries. saying that
when road has fair local business at
regular tariff rates. and can add to It's bust
ness without proportionate increase of ex-
pense by taking through business original
ing where there is competition, it is allow
able to make heavy and constant reductions
in the through rates, because the road is
entitled to invite to itself the through
traffic. Mr.. Fink goes further still, and
defends successfully the fostering Of a
new industry by carriage for it at
lower than the regular rate.
Wherever deliberate and dispassionate ex.
animation of the uniform rate theory has
been made, it has uniformly resulted in its
complete Abandonment. It is wrong, be-
cause it ignores the laws of competition
becauses it discriminates against long and
in favor OF short lines because it is in
equitable as between sections; because,
among score of reasons, it eliminates
from consideration differing Typographical
conditions because it restricts efficiency
of service; because it does not take into
account the varied operating costs OF varied
districts, and because it puts tax upon
prosperity to advance the non-prosperous.