The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-01-20

to discussion. Many Of them arc mef'
relics Of the age Of Horsepower and water
craft. He thinks the best method Of pre-
venting extortion or unjust discrimination
shss w isss fa & & nS 4 s s.scrtion o. unjust
discrimination is praeticed. In evidence Of
which he points to the fact that lew cases
are taken to the court or made public. and
that the records Of State railroad com
missioners show very few complaints and
still fewer decisions by commissioner
are generally lower chan local rates, be-
cause the through business 10 q Wholesale
business, larger in amount and therefore
less expensive to transact, and for the
additional reasons that competition Tor it
is more severe, and that through rates are
more generally effected by direct water
route competition, but it is obviously ex-
pedient. to require railroads to reduce local
rates because of the commercial influence
of a large aggregate traffic and the compe-
tition OF other railroads. Water routes or
at local points. may make it for their
interest to participate in through
business on q very small margin
of profit. If all traders were compelled to
sell everything on the basis of the lowest
margin on profit which they might find it
necessary to take on same one thing, the
effect would be the snme over q WIDER field.
As an effect of requiring railroads either
to give up through business or reduce their
local rates correspondingly, it is NO more
for the interest of the public to make rail-
800 lc ,rn.~oE<oh 1o thova IN rao 10 hs,c3uoon
generally unprofitable.' Perhaps the best
evidence that the local rates of railroads
throughout the country are reasonable is
to be found in the prosperity Of
local points all over the country,
and by comparison with railroad
charges elsewhere in the world. It has
sometimes been assumed that competition
does not exist at what are called 'lOcal
points," but this is o true. The desire
of the railroad is to increase the volume OF
it's business. Sometimes quite far-distant
regions served by other railroads tributary
to the same, or competing markets, con-
s~titutes active competition. The rates
between local points on the line OF the rail-
road in Northern or Central Iowa, and the
markets O fChicago and St. Louis influence
the rates between local points on the road
in Southern Iowa and those markets and
vice versa.
Again, between two railroads, even if
they are q considerable distance apart,
there is about half way a belt of country,
theinhabitants OF which can generally 60
either road, and the contest between rail-
roads to secure the business OF
that belt influences the prices
of transportation, not only on that
particular traffic. but also on other bust
ness which is transacted at the same sta
stations on the respective roads. Rail-
roads must remain in the country where
they are, whatever happens, and their pun.
ishment for excessive charges, while it
would be less slow in coming than
that of an individual merchant, would be
far more certain and severe, because their
business would be ruined or other roads
would be built as permanent competition.
Nevertheless, it is true, and will remain
true as long as railroads are conducted IN
be able to obtain lower rates OF
transportation than local points for
precisely the same reason that such places
are able to obtain many cOnveniences and
luxuries which local points do not and
cannot enjoy. Those who desire water and
gas in their houses, or many and cheap
amusements, or the lowest rates Of freight,
must go to where there are enough other
persons who desire the same to a it
profitable to supply them.s This is not be-
cause railroads wish it to be SO, but be-
cause in the nature of things it must be so.
1t is manifestly not for the interest OF any
away from a local point where it
carries all there is to the point where traffic
must be divided with other roads. 1t has
been said that railroads made trade
~centers, but such is not the fact. The
tendency of railroads is to put different
trade centers on an equality by
the humiliation of distance, but they
no more make centres OF population
and trade than do other manufacturers or
traders who seek such points for their own
profit. Most, if not all, cases of alleged I'M
reasonableness in railroad charges will,
upon careful careful investigation, be found
to be due to Misrepresentation or a mis-
understanding of the facts. The experience
of State commissioners shows this to be
true to require absolute publicity Of rates,
and that charges should not be made with
out public notice would be q great incon-
venience to the business community.
In the House tomorrow. after the intro.
duction of bills, committees will be called
for motions to pass measures, one Tor each
committee, under suspension OF the rules.
A two-thirds vote is requisite in every in
6UanCc. Lie CONTINUES Ou MlIlodEy AHdtIS
will avail itself of this opportunity to bring
before the House the Senate bill appropri-
ating $45O,OOO to the purchase OF the old
Produce Exchange building, in New York
City, for army purposes. Among the more
important measures that are likely to be
passed in the committee and reported to
the house ! this week are the
bills known as he McPherson
bill, in the last Congress, authorizing
the national banks to increase their
circulation of notes to the full amount OF
their security; the Bonds bill, authorizing
the Comptroller OF the Currency to sane
ton the changes Of name and increase OF
capital stock by the National banks; the
Oklahoma bill; Mr.. Hatch's bill, to create
a Department OF Agriculture; and Mr.. Wat
sons bill to increase the pension OF widows.
The Boutelle resolution, relative to the
Norfolk Navy Yard, will be further consid-
cred by the Committee on Naval Affairs to-
morrow or Tuesday. The author OF the
resolution has little doubt that it will be
reported to the House On Wednesday,. As
it is q private resolution imlne-
date action can be demanded. If
the tone of the discussion OF the measure
in the committee can be taken as an indi-
cation of the discussion to follow in the
House, that body will find thrust upon it q
spirited political debate.
A CLEVER ARREST.
Harry Florence, of W%alkerville, Neatly
Captured at Helena.