Daily Republican., 1885-02-14
Railroad Disc rfmipa alton.

At last Philadelphia is waking up
70 the importance of doing something
To prevent railroad Discrimination In
carrying freight hich VIII he OF grea'
importance 10 Wilmington. GA We'd
nesday last the Commercial Exchange
of Philadelphia held meeting, aud
after several vigorous speeches showing
the great injury 10 the business in
terests of the city, resolutions were
unanimously adopted, inaugurating
measures looking 10 the removal OF
railroad determinations. The appoint
meut of com nittee on transportation
was provided for, whose duties shall be-
TO investigate all complaints that may
be presented by members OF the Es
change against transportation com
psnies In all matters pertaining to such
complaints, and, when necessary, &c
employ counsel 10 enforce the legsl
rights of members. The Exchange re'
solved 10 cooperate with other com
mercial organizations 10 secure redress
of wrongs existing aud AN equitable AL
jastment of all differences between the
carving companies and tie business
public.
The resolutions insist upon pub
lcity and uniformity Of rates from any
gwen point for the same service They
say that special rates 10 firms aud in
dividuals lay the foundations for cor
ruption in railroads aud are destructive
10 all sound business principles. En
| terprise, industry, capacity and ever
capital are paralyzed where such dis
| ordinations exist, aud the result fol
| lows OF undue concentration Of busi
ness in a few hands with the diver
sion Of trade aud capital TO othe
points, TO the detrimeut of the railroad
them selves. g.
\ bill Is before the Pennsylvania
| Legislature now 10 prevent discrimi
nation. IL demands that every in
dividual and every locality shall b
treated with equality and fairness, am
that the charge for short haul sha'
not bs grea'er than that for a lons e
haul, which includes the shorter, an,
that a schedule Of rates and charge
shall be posted up at every frrigh
depot, and penalty is provided 10
violations OF the law.
This is a movement in which the PEG
pie OF Wilmington are especially IN
teres,ed When they put their hand
in their pockets TO pay g. 10 for to
OF coal without the cost Of putting il i
l the bin, they are led 70 ask why Goa
I is CHER here than in other cities III
reno'e from the coal mines There
{ no good reason why coal in New y OIL
T, Brooklyn, and the Jersey cities on Il
Y liue of tue railroads from Philsdelph
i 10 New York, should w. about dolla
Il a ton cheaper than in Philadelphia al
Wilmington. Eren Baltimore, mat
IS miles from the coal mines, gets cheap
III coal than Philadelphia and Wilmin
u ton.
Is Railroads are very expensive thinl
v AMI We would not see them impos
10 upon simply because they are VIII
l. they cannot help bat bt-a monopol
's but when they discriminate in I
70 prices of FIRE ght against cities whe
u there is no active railroad compe
tion, little restraining influence W
~ work good. Coal that costs about
al dollar more ton in Wilmington tn
in cities much nearer the coal mines
re direct cut against the business
ca Wilmington. People Of capifal alto
ne EN- barking in business, every thing e
u' being equal, viii 10 ate where the c
: get coal the cteapes', and If the bu
+. lies. Of Wilmington is discriminat
II against simply because business III
a. Cannot hep themselves nor do any b
!! ter, then Wilmington must be the 5
W. ferer