New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-22
RAILWAY FREIGHT RATES.
VIEWS OF SIMON sTERNE AND MR.. FINK.
..,,vc nrFoRE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.


NEARING BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE On
INTERSTATE COMMERCE..
The Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce
cain In session at the Fifth AVenue Hotel yesterday
so sterne arr cared as representative OF shipping
tn,arests and gave his views the railroad suauon'
a. evils rs seen by him and his remedy He is IN la
AZ the creation OF National Commission WIN Iuue'
mowers to regulate the management OF ram S.,aa
nroect the public from extortions ana ,d no
He thinks that more proportons.eS than for
charged for carrying freight SNORT uissa rhoro
-, ., a lang distance in the same directoh' "".i0
,ornoratjons engage in railroad wars WIN ~ -.
r,erpe would have law by WHO" inc oO ,,,,
,a nav the expense of warfare ana not 'ne pupi'o.
',iap and discrimination should be made CRIMINAL
ence nv a National enactment. 1t would DC tntle 10
sstabsh maxim I'M aud minimum rates vi aa,t ~
law but the hng OF T0 remedy e 10 he heart Of
The entire trouble. In illustrating one OF Ills points Jul.
sterne said things had indeed come TO pretty pass
when a line like the NewYork Central could prevent
the West Shore road or any other IoaG IRON p f he
said was the of the latter road being unable 10 pay
dividends, ....,o, cha ,,o to,,D and ,arce souare
German head of Pool CoTmissoner Fink loomed up at
end of the round table lie 4aa h age eg them
sparingy In speaking OF the present CONDITION o.
from Chicago TO NewYork is less than the cost OF raul
ING the cars The determinations, unsettled aTus anu
SINNERS who want fixed and settled taylH on Whlch
fhey can rely II the present condition OF thgs SHOULD
new roads coming into operation year ago lhee was
General recognition of the necessity Of the roads coming
trollable The rate question is like house male Oh
many parts the taking away OF any one Oh when s
of cuts rates he replied that the cuts eonlhuea Ps
enough the farmer got it, but at first the man VINO ns
bnDcht and holds grain and the spectators are the
Ienedcares. Rate seldom last year. IHey Elst
mill ever body is exhausted and the treasures are
empty Then strikes everybody that they should have
had more and they come together III mas pec
the business of the pooling arrangement 10 prevent tnee
wars There is no difficulty in liking rates percent
ace table was made ten years ago, which with some
Sbiesco the cheapest line, the rate. The percent
age made out Tor the shortest line to ork rom
every point where there are two roads tor oter DOLLS
the local rate holds until the freight reaches competing
point There are scarcely any points more IMAM t~eny
miles away from competing point Inc local late was
comparatively high. Tie principle OF competition was
the sure It safeguard against extOrtiOn. 49,
Answering an inquiry by Senator Platt MT FINK al
mitted that at no time since the percentage De was
Inent There were constant lapses from IT, ana az
present they were all torn up Inc ooeSI Oh u,e p POI,
,,sasnrably successful He would like law that
would compel the roads under penalty to work to pub
number of roads together 10 form taTln IL is
enough to pass law prohibiting unjust dserimna
ton is. The common law is suicen' as IL Is dnerd
managers have the experience 10 do this and it should
then be submitted to officials OF the Government or
board for criticism revision. 1.-THE final decision
should rest with the railroad OF course, the common
carrier and the public should be represented IN the
rates can only controlled by combinations such as th
rooing system OF which he Is the head. speaking OF
Senator Cullom's bill create Interstate Commits
SION Mr. Fink said he regarded 1t as tentative measure
but it would not correct existing evils lie thought
tribunal with judicial powers would be yanelcss unGs
there should first be laid down an explicit cOde Win
reference TO railroads and tariffs lie would iaNor suen
tribunal II accompanied by such laws.
W. f. King merchant stated that the experience OF
NewYork merchants is that pooling Is injurious IL en-
courages the building OF trunk lines IL points out
to spectators the earnings OF old roads IL guar
antee that roads get place IN the railroad Sys
ten on something beside merit or necessity. II Is De
sructiye W good service because N cannot be maintained
without divering freight. He knew OF l6O cases OF
diverted freight in house that took ten 10 twenty
seven days to reach Pitsburg. 1t sometimes TOOK
freight four TO six weeks reach the West He thought
the remedy must in legislation that would cause
the weak lines to go TO the wall-be survival OF the