The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-26

pany. He had in forty years been through sew
eral strikes and had observed carefully the class
OF men who inaugurate them. and in but one in
stance had he found man who observed the
Sabbath and respected religion, even if he was
not member of q church, who was
striker or encouraged them, and he was
an engineer The second day of the strike this
man came to him and apologized for being with
such a crowd, and then took his engine and run
it. He thought that in every railroad strike
which occurred the troubles could be traced back
to breaking the Sabbath, as it opened the gates
to intemperaDce, RIGHTEOUSNESS and all the evils
in its trail. Mr.. Beckley thought there was not a
better set of men operating road than those
under him on the c., w. & NJ, and every one Of
them knew his puritanical ideas regarding the
Sabbath, and they endeavored to carry them out
Commissioners Blanchard's Mistake.
It quite evident that Commissioner Blanch-
ard has made mistake in withholding from the
press weekly tonnage statements out of Chicago,
and other information WHICH for years past rail
road reporters have been favored with, and
the sooner the Commissioner withdraws this or
der and allows anything which is legitimate rail-
road news to be given to reporters, the better it
will be for him and the traffic association of
which he is the chief Representatives The traf
nc association is not yet on so firm a footing
that it can safely ignore newspaper reporters.
As said before. il Commissioner Blanchard
has any item of a newsy or
sensational character, which he does not wish
made puplc, he should have the good feeling
of the newspaper fraternity so well in hand that
a reporter if requested. would make no note of
it. There should be confidence existing be-
tween the Commissioner and the newspaper men
with whom he daily comes in contact. that the
latter would willingly grant any reasonable re-
quest of this character which the pool officials
should make. The Chicago Times, in com
menting on the Withholding from the press of
the weekly tonnage statement, says: "The round
about lines have been able to do fair amount
OF business simply for the reason that the pool
lines held up the market to tariff, and they could
by concedng two or three cents, secure ship
ments that took advantage of the situation and
got through at a small margin of profit. The
trouble is not with tie railroads but with the
condition of trade, which needs comment
here. More than this, the roads have no reason
to avoid publicity because of the shrinkage in
through shipments when compared with former
years. The roads have virtually resolved
that half loaf is better than no bread.
rate five cents would not stimulate tonnage,
it was early that by maintaining
1t the Eastern trunk lines would, by picking up
large share of the lake tonnage at Buffalo. So
cure to themselves greater proportion by ad
herring to the winter rate To be sure. their
termination but it is a question whether they
would have been in any event, except just.prior
to the opening of navigation. They must take
business as it comes, and if trade is stagnant
endure it as best they can until it revives. The
protest made in an article inspired by the Com
missioner that the business and interior affairs
of railroads are essentially as private matters as
those of an ordinary mercantile house is too alb
surd too need refutation The relations of rail
way corporations to the community are we'll
understood their responsibility to the State
and the community equally plain"