New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-09

CHAMPIONS THE DANA
DIAN ROADS IN
GENERAL,
The Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce
resumed their investigation of the subject OF the
Canadian railways at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
yesterday morning The usual number Of Sena-
tors was present, with the exception Of Mr..
Hiscock, who was forced 70 leave the city for
few days At quarter past 10 o'clock
Charles Francis Adams entered parlor d,
where the committee was in session, and
after apoogizing for his tardiness, he was intro
duced to the Senators, and was called at once TO
the witness-eha After stating that he was
president OF the UuiUn Pac &c, which controlled
about 5000 miles OF roadway, and after giving
it's various termini, he said that the Union
Pacific was now subject TO competition st almost
every point II formerly had the monopoly OF
the Asiatic trade, but that was divided up among
the reads subsequently built. As to the extent
Of this competition in the future. and tho eiect
OF the Canadian Pacific upon IT, Mr. Adams
could not give an unmodtfed opinion. Inc
experience OF tho Pacific Coast, however, was IKE
that of the East New-York had drawn the
greater part of the trade from other points on the
Atlantic, and San Francisco occupied q slmllhr
position on the Western Coast II WA in fact, the
New-YorlS of the Pacific. Still, just as, despite
that fact there remained considerable trade ZOE
Baltimore Philadelphia, Boston, aud Norfolk there
would. always remain business for Portland
and other points besides San Francisco. But
he did not believe that the Canadian Pacific would
be able 10 divert the AsiatiO trade entirely from
its natural course namely, TO San Francisco. Az
present ho thought the Union Pacific had JUS
share Of business, although the trathc on 'neif
Oriental line of steamers had been i1terfered WIN
As to the Interstate Commerce Act TO when the
examination then drifted, Mr.. Adams said ne had
been unable 70 make up his mind as TO the exact
effect OF that measure. IL had not been ealofoeu
sufficiently, however, 70 show what IL eoun 40
That lack was due to various causes. The effect
Of the act had been necessarily 1ntermittent ana
disiointed. Its benefits could not be measured
now. lie wished, however, that 1t might De III
er,llv enforced. He believed there was greater
approximation to its enforcement at present IMAM
az any other time. lie was looking toward the
future with great curiosity and gratihcauoH' AZ
20 its effect upon traffic it natural for trade
70 follow the line Of least resistance. The law
had made the resistance greater upon certain lines
than it had been, and had diverted trade 70 some
extent The long and short haul clause had
lines. 1t did not affect the Union Pacific 10 any
great extent Their only vulnerable point was the
transcoutin mental trade. Time alone would show
what tLat eject would be. There was much truth
in General Grants aphorisn that the best way to
kin n bad law was 10 enforce IL In some respects
tho law was o good one. 1t was framed, however,,
upon a priori principles, instead oil In accordance
with the light Of experience. The Commission had
made great progress, but 01e year was not enough
to try it,
Not An ADVOCATE OF POOLING.
In answer 70 Mr.. Culom's observation that al
the roads seemed 70 desire the enforcement OF the
law. but none enforced il, Mr.. Adams said that
that was natural As it was, when tho Govern
cnt control was not stringent enough, II one rail
road enforced the law IL would find that others
did not, and it would suffer in consequence. II
enforced all around il might be different II would
nj least show what it was worth IL WAS fact
that prior 70 January since which time tho Inter
state Act had been more rigdly observed, business
had been much greater in volume than It had been
since that date Mr. Adams was not, he said, an
enthusiastic advocate Of pooling; in fact, he op-
posed It. Time was necessary 70 test tho act. De-
cause an entirely new system Of operation h"d
been established through 1t, lie was however,
not IN favor Of repeating the law OF present. or
amending IL in nny way, until f. had had a fair
trial Tho Commission, by their Investigations
and study. would know what changes 20 recon-
mend after a time. lie Ind practically the same
opinions In that regard as he had when on the
Isailroad Commission. TOO great haste was not
advisable
When asked in what respect the law had been
eyaded Mr. Adams answered that the ways were
so mulrifarious and 80 ingenious that IL was al
most impossible 10 enumerate them ms con-
dition Of affairs had never been worse than during
the first year after the law had been passed His
attention had been called 20 1t fOrcibly. Strict
business principles were not In practice Iho
railroads, after the first few months OF the law
found that they would not be prosecuted for
violations of the statute, and became reckless IN
consequence That state Of things would natu-
rally remedy itself however. lie recommended
with some dilldenCe-that the Commission prose
cute several transgressOrs. That hc thought
would serve as q menace and show that the
Commission WAS in earnest.
FREH FIELD AND NO FAVOR.
Recurring 70 the question of Canadian rail
ways, Senator Cullom asked II Mr.. Adams thought
the building of such roads in the United States
should be encouraged or hinderCd. lie answered
that the people desired c. cap transportation and
that they were factor in that direction. lie
desired "a free field and no favor The Canadian
feeders should he unmolested but they should he
obliged>s conform 10 the same laws As the Ameri-
can roaSs That he thought, would not be dihi-
cult as they would willingly comply. lie ed-
mitted in answer 10 Senator Germans question,
that as Il railroad man he would naturally favor
the cutting orr of the Canadian lines, but not
as an American citizen. There was, he said in
reply 70 another question: q possibility that the
large subsidies paid 70 the Canadian Pacific and
the lines Of steamers at either end OF the Boute
might divert in the future some Of the commerce
from San Francisco. Natural influences, how
ever, as he had said before, were hard TO work
against
As 10 rates, Mr.. Adams thought they should
ia exnd b,, tle Government TO q certain extent.