Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-08-29
THE ROCK ISLANDS POSITION.
General Manager St Johns Reply to tho
Statement OF Alton Officials.

from the Chicago Times.l
General Manager st John, OF the Chicago,
Rock Island 4 Pacific road, authorizes the
following statement in reply to assertions
recently made by Vice President j. q.
McMullin OF the Chicago 4 Alton in n pub
lished interview;
mr. McMullin, in published inter-
view, has clearly defined the present posi-
ton and policy of tho Alton road. IL ia
to insist on through rates being made on
basis that will give to it fair share Of the
traffic which goes TO and comes from
points west of Kansas City. He Illus
trates his meaning by citing shipment OF
live stock from Topeka on the Rock Island
road through Kansas City to Chicago.
Upon such shipment the tariffs Of all the
lines as heretofore adjusted provided for
q through rate somewhat less than the
sum OF two locals This practice was
in accordance with well recognized prin-
ciples of rate making as universally prac--
ticed by carriers, and has been approved
by the interstate commerce commission,
which In arecent case used the following
language: AS throughrates are made by the
American system OF roads, agreed percent
ages OF the total rate, considerably loss in
amount than the local rates of roadsreceiv-
ing such percentages, are usually q leading
feature, and it is eminently proper as .
general rule that this should be So
anu Itlullc ~ anu COuipU@
tition compels it. Such rates, when rea-
sonably and fairly adjusted to local bust
ness, are greatly favored in the law, be-
cause they furnish cheapened rates and
greater facilities to the public, while at the
same time they give Increased employ
ment and earnings to larger number OF
carriers
In the rates as adjusted heretofore
upon livestock traffic from points in Kan
afn thrrtt N
Kansas City to Chicago, the difference be-
tween the sums of the locals and the
through rates wns an entirely reasonable
difference, and the tariffs in question we're
precisely upon the line of the resolution
which Mr.. McMullin quotes approvingly.
Notwithstanding this, he says that he pro-
poses to get what he calls a fair share of
the tariff by reducing the local rate from
Kansas City to Chicago to the amount Of
the proportionate rate between these
points charged by the Rock Island on the
through shipment
This statement is certainly candid. His
line has no extension west of Kansas City.
The Rock Island has He proposes to make
the latter divide with him traffic which
originates upon the extension that 1t has
| furnished means to construct and this he
| will do BY reducing the established ate
from Kansas City to Chicago. This declara-
ton follows his announcement at tho COM
| mencement OF the same interview that the
| Alton does not cut any rates; It only reduces
when necessary to meet cut rates OF other
| roads Yet tho Alton has Just forced a
large reduction In all rates on live stock and
| products from Kansas City to Chicago In ac-
| cordance with the policy above stated
Naturally and inevitably when the Alton
| reduces its rate from Kansas City to the
| division of the through rate charged upon
tho lines where the livestock shipments
originate those lines must meet the reduc-
ton in tho loca! and at the same time re-
duce their through rate correspondingly.
| This Is necessary for their preservation;
they will not think that they can reasona.
bly, be asked to cut their lines In two for
| the benefit of tho Alton, nor can the latter
Justly expect them to surrender traffic
which they have constructed long lines Of
road to secure This step will apparently
involve n new reduction by the Alton to
the level OF the new proportionate rates !;
and the process will he repeated until all
tho lines are doing business at loss and
somebody surrenders
THE association has no desire to punish
the Alton for its withdrawal nor for any
thing else Action necessary for the pro
lection of its lines against the Atoms raid
will probably be taken however,