New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-19
CONGRESS AND RAILROADS.
PRESIDENT KING ON THE SITUATION.
WHAT THE HEAD or THE ERIE ROAD THINKS OF
TIE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL.

WHAT THE HEAD OF THE ERIE ROAD THINKS OF
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL
Areporer Of THE TRIBUNE yesterday asked President
John King OF the New York. Lake Erie and Western Rail-
road for his views the Interstate Commerce bill Mr.
King replied that it extremely difficult matter to
| crtclse bill which no had not seen and
which, notwithstanding diligent efforts at Washington,
ne mad not been able to get The bill from all that could
DC understood from the press was one OF great mpor
tance affecting seriously only the railroad interests
but also the general OF the country So many
troubles existed now from the competition for business
from diverse legislation In the different States and other
| causes, that almost every railway manager
| would welcome Congressional legislation placing the
railroads under tho the United States and provd-
ing some uniform system rates Determinations, etc.
| President King continued as follows:
but In saying this 1t should not be understood that
many as far know any Of the railroad companies,
would desire the passage OF bill such that under
alteration So far as tho proposed regulations as to pub
fishing tariffs OF fares charges and prohibiting
any changes advance upon less hanten days notice
are concerned, they entirely unobjectionabe 50
also would be the prohibition OF the payment OF rebate
drawbacks aud this could properly be extended to pre-
vent the payment Of commission passenger tickets
and the correction Of similar evils. All the machinery
proposed to enforce strict Of the law would
meet the the hearty sincere cooperation Of the railroad
managers who instead OF attempting any violation would
be extremely glad cooperate enforcing spruyisons
| THE POOLING SYSTEM NOT PERFECT.
"As to pooling-no will say 1t is perfect system.
II has been adopted by the leading companies the
best plan which has yet been devised and IL Is be-
| ing improved from to time. It Is not opposed to
the public interests but rather protective OF them. at
| least to the extent OF causing a greater reg
| nlarity In rates than would otherwise exist
There he objection whatever to bringing the pool
Ing SYSTEM or-if 1t be found-any better system
directly under tie control OF the general Government,
but does be right to destroy altogether
and provide nothing In It's place Is not to the interest
OF the public leaving OF view the railroads. to
| have general confusion In traffic by taking away
the principal conservative influence now existing 1t is
fact that under the operation Of the trunk line pool for
the year. through rates have been established at
reasonable figures and better maintained than at any
time for twenty years. while. az result the commerce or
the country the which has un'or the
influence the pool better protected than ever
before. II way can DC found by which rates can be
uniformly and absolutely maintained there will be no
| necessity for pool
1t may said to this that the Government
establish and enforce the observance OF them
This true and the railroad companies would be salts
fed TO have such Government regulation, but can II be
said that Congress Is now ready establish tariffs for
transportation companes This is an exceedingly In
trcate and complicated matter and II requires careful
and earnest consideration but is not by any means I'm
possible OF solution, sufficient time aud attention Is
given to the subject II plans adopted which will
solve the difficulty. the railroad companies will honestly
give such aud as they assist IN arranging fair and
equitable tariffs their respective lines placing tile
| enforcement OF them in charge OF the Government"
| "What effect do you think II would have upon ROADS
| which through more than one state !"
81 should expect serious results 1t Is eK-
tremely unfair The Tackawann the Erie and the Lehigh
Valley companies for Instance run through two or three
States under the operation OF the law governing
Interstate while their principal rival the New
| York Central through only one State | Will Illus
ample Jar the traffic passing throngh by rail !,
all the lines are IN the sae "st0n sna bI L
with much Of freight coming to Buffalo by water the
Grain reaching Buao by vessel goes directly into the
elevators where may remain Tor one DAY or one year
ss,oa ef ehsrsss AZ Of Il.
elevators 1t Is hot part OF shipments governed by
through rates but Is transported by the railroads OF ey
THE traffic Buffalo Is times enormous. There
been periods during the last few years when the snip
ment from Buffalo have been as great as the total east
IU se Ee road combined The rates for Bntao bushes.
carried Ia ull carloads and frequently III full train ads
siatons " east of Buaaio, whero the business
IN Is"''ii' most cas- instances Is small and irregular.
the interstate companies will have to decide whether
they will reduce the local rates TO the Buffalo standard OF
abandon business trom Buffalo They cannot afford
to do either conform the law and taking one
Of traffic. reject the other. to their manifest injury az
the same time doing no good whatever to any csss OF
empts railroads wholly within State The
referred TO lust what rate It desire. without considering
the effect upon It's local tariffs Certainly Con,
Unjust aud unfair toward parallel interstate roads
The shipper Bdao ia w9Hd Ia. S9 pa ahap tH s
the only results OF the law would be that the Inter
from Buffalo would be injured so would the
shippers be and the only benefits would to the New
York Central already the most prosperous railroad com
pany In the state Surely congress uoes HOT hehu " ~
such an injustice.
BUSINESS BEYOND BUFFALO.
"As to business TO and from points beyond Buffalo
there would be only course To adopt-to advance
the through rates to such standards would enable
the interstate roads to obtain fair and reason
able rates from local stations on their lines
All the leading lines running between the East anC
West would unite. they would be In the same
| plight, except singularly enough. the Canadian
lines Take the Grand Trunk Road for example Tha
company has line under Its control FROM Chicago to
the frontier In the United states In which small por
ton only of the through line to Montreal iS M sit
, laws OF Congress- but over tho Canadian line
where such laws without any effect whatever upoI
their local tariff company would Do entirely untranl
mellcd The result would surely he that the Grand Iruni
line and the Canadian Pacific !wseheveI sass % our anna ~
ton as o rates generally and a. !" export business par
cuary and have all the American Ies y Tbo snes ansd s
lines could make the rate from Chicago TO Montrea
FROM any point in Canada 70 Montreal At double thos
5 rates Tseu es uo% nS bs esssd to a charge
Chicago from Chicago-which they con'
not afford door else allow I'M
Canadian lines to take the business what Is true rs
Chicago Is also many other important western
centres reached through Chicago Vessels 90 " the poru
where they yet the hest paying cargoes ana III less hal
six months the foreign trade OF Montreal Womb vast.
Increase 10 the great injury OF the cities on our Aahti
seaboad. believe that Congress. will 50 legs
In favor OF Canada and against the interests OF th
country.
, HOW WESTERN ROADS WOULD BE AFFECTED.
what do think will be the result with Western road
generally The richest roads In the West, would prot
ably 10 able TO bear the strain for whiie' Dut IN
weaker lines particularly those which haye large pr'
| Il lr-.o ih. ,yu