The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-13
Mora RaI,ohta Trfo

More Reliable Information Demanded.
The false and sensational news regarding rail-
roads which has been teleeraphed over the coun-
of late is the cause of some unfavorabe criticism
by newspapers which pride themselves on the
truthfulness of the items which appear from
time to time in such journals. Secrecy is i'm
pressed upon officials and employees of all rail
ways, consequently from no class of business
men is it so difficult to get news. Yet at the
proper time nearly all railroad officials are will
ing to give to the press any news of importance
in which the public is interested. Hence
tn e importance that the reporter should have
the confidence and good wishes of the railroad
men, and still more important is 1t that any item
given by a railroad man to journalist be
rectly reported, often the position of
railroad official is jeopardized by false or exag-
gerated report of what has been said. In speak
ing of the falsehoods which now so frequently
find currency through the press, the Boston Ad-
vertiser, which, like the indianapolis Journal.
prdes itself on the truthfuiness of the news
which appears therein, says 1.-The truth now
has very fair chance in the race, and can make
as quick time the livelest lie But, un
fortunately, even this does not much improve
the condition of affairs, owing to the difficulty of
telling which is the lie and which is the truth
A fair illustration Of this is found In the recent
First comes dispatch that the opera
tors going to strike against
10 per cent. reduction in wages. Then
follows prompt and explicit denial of the truth
of the report that the wages of employees were
to be reduced 10 per cent, with the further as
sertion that mo misunderstanding exists be-
tween employees and managers" That seemed
to settle it. But almost before the ink was dry
on the paper on which the denial was written,
comes circumstantial account of strike at
Pullman against reduction of wages. All this
in one day, which speaks as well for the rapid
transit of truth as of falsehood. But what are
we to think of it all9 If the first report was
lie the second was the truth, and then the third
must have been another lie. If the first report
was true, then the second must have been false,
and, with the third true, the lie must have found
itself in somewhat uncomfortable position.
But perhaps. the authors of the denial did not
intend to have it false, but spoke too hastily,
through ignorance"
An Advance i'm East Bound Rates Probable.
East bound rates apparently have been braced
up all along the line, and unquestonably there
is determination, for the time being, at least,
with the trunk lines to maintain them them
selves and force connections to do. Under
the resolution of the trunk line presidents their
lines will refuse bushes that reaches their West
ern termini on and after Oct. Is that has been
taken at less than the 2O-cent basis. The next
move to be looked for is the advance of east
bound rates to the basis of % cents per one hun
dred pounds from Chicago to New York, which
will make the rate % cents from Indianapolis to
New York. The future maintenance of rates
doubtless depends largely upon the success of
the movement to reorganze the joint executive
committee and make pool on gross money
basis Under the old agreement balances were
evened UP by diversion of freight from the lines
that had run ahead of their allotted percentages
to the lines that had run short This arrange
ment proved complete failure and it has been
fully demonstrated that nothing but a gross
money pool. by which balances that cannot be
evened up by diversion of freight have to be set
tied in cash at the end of every month. 1t is
the general opinion that an iron-clad agreement
based on money pool will 60 into effect as soon
the status of the West Shore and South Penn
sylvania lines is determined on.