The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-08-16
rnt ROCK ISLANDS POSITION.
General Manager St. johns Reply TO the
Statement Of Alton Oficials.

General Manage ST. Johne hspiy 70 the
Statement Of Alton OfhciAls.
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. Nics.frssidsn !.
McMullin OF the Chicago L Alton in q pub
lished interview;
Mr.. MeMullin, in q rcceptpubiished inter-
view, has clearly defined the present posi-
ton and policy OF tho Alton road IL 10
TO insist on through rates being made on Q
basis that will give 10 It . fair share OF the
traffic which goes to and comes from
points west OF Kansas City, He illus-
trates his meaning by citing a shipment Of
road through Kansas City TO chicago
Upon such a shipment the tariffs Of all the
lines as heretofore adjusted provided for
a 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,
tioed by carriers, and has been approved
by the interstate commerce commission,
which IN q recent cass used the following
language AS through rates are made by the
American system OF roads, agreed percent
nges OF the total Iate, considerably less in
amount than the local rates Of roads receiv-
ing such percentages, are usually q leading
feature, and it is e~minently proper - q
general rule that this should be so. = .
Commerce and trade require 1t aud compe-
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 tim they give Increased employ.
ment and earnings to o larger number OF
Carriera'
I'm the rates as adjusted heretofore
upon livestock traffic from points In Kan
sas, Indian Territory, Texas, etc, through
Kansas City to Chicago, the difference be-
tween the sums OF the locals and the
through rates was an entirely reasonable
precisely upon the line of the resolution
"hich Mr.. McMullin quotes a%pprovingly.
Notwithstanding this, he says that hs pro-
poses to get what he calls = 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 nc 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 rate
from Kansas City to Chicago. This declara-
ton follows his announcement at the COM
mencement of the same interview that the
Alton does not cut any rates; 1t 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 &C
cordance with the policy above stated.
Naturally and inevitably when the Alton
reduces its rate from Kansas City to the
Of the through rate charged upon
tho lines whore, the livestock shipments
originate those lines must meet the reduc-
ton In the local 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
tho benefit OF the 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
a new reduction by the Alton to
the level OF the new proportionate rates.
the process will be repeated until all
the lines are doing business at o loss and
somebody surTendcra.
THE association has no desire to punish
the Alton Tor its withdrawal nor for any
thing else. Action necessary for the pro-
lection OF its lines against the Alton's raid
will probably be taken however"