The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-10
Mr.. ROBERTS IHSTIEIHS.
The President Of the PennsyI-
yania Railroad Company
is BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
orthe Senate Investigating the Work.
ing of the Interstate Commerce
Act-An Interesting Session,
His opinion OF tho Law,

eating Committee met again to-day, Th
first witness was President George ]
Roberts, Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
He stated that the Pennsylvania systeI
comprised number OF leased roads |
addition to the Pennsylvania road proI
er, which practically controlled the po
icy Of the system. 1t had very littl
actual business relations with any Cant
dian road,
By Senator Cullom-"What have yo
to say Of the relations between tn
Canadian roads and those OF the Unite
statesY"
Mr.. Roberts-"since the United State
have begun TO regulate the railroad con
panies by special legislation, the latte
have been placed at q disadvantage Il
their competition with those OF Canadl
The effect OF the Grand Trunk roads be
Ing independent Of the legislation whiCl
affects those OF the United statesis
constant menace 10 the latter. don
know that at present the Canadian road
do any serious injury to American com
merce, but they are In position TO d
50 at any time the managers sec fit /
do so"
"What advantage have the Canadian
roads over those oi the United States p
1.-THE Canadian Pacific Is heavily sub
sidiZed by the Government so as TO en-
courage the development OF the country
Both the Grand Trunk and the Canadian
Pacific roads draw their supplies from
England free Of duty"
Can roads In the United States bt
operated us cheaply as the Canadian
roads2"
"There Is considerable doubt as 10 the
answer to that question"
BY Senator Cullom="What remedy
have you 10 suggest as au amendment
10 the law that would place American
roads and Canadian roads on an equal
iiy2"
Mr.. Roberts-"I think that any for
elgn corporation doing business here
should be subject to the same laws as
the roads OF our own country. II Cana
dian roads are permitted to carry traffic
In and out OF the United States they
should be made amenable 10 our laws
OF covrse we cannot oblige foreign roads
10 conform with'our laws when they are
out Of the country, but while they do
business within our borders the same
law should apply to both. In fact, l am
not sure that foreign roads should be al
lowed the privileges they enjoy in this
country even under these conditions. !
cannot quite understand why foreign
roads should be allowed 10 20 In and out
OF the United States while foreign yes.
sells are not allowed 10 do a Coasting trade
with this country"
By Senator Blair-"What practical
method do you suggest 10 protect US in
our competition with Ganada?p
Mr.. Roberts-"I should make them
subject 10 the same laws which our own
roads obey. In case this is not satisfac.
tory, / think our own roads arc fully able
10 accommodate the public even II there
were no Canadian roads"
Senator German asked President Rob-
erts the same question that Mr.. Wiman
yesterday; whether or not 1t
would be a fair proposition for the United
States to demand that all Canadian
roads doing business In the United
States should conform 10 American laws
Or else stay out Of the country.
Mr.. Roberts replied that he thought
II q perfectly fair demand and one which
should be made in the interest Of Amer.
lean roads.
BY Senator Gorman-"Therei Is a move
on foot, / understand, TO construct q
through line from the Pacific TO the At
IantiC coast TO connect at either end with
q subsidized line Of steamers, It's object
being TO take the trade.that comes from
China and Japan and transport II to the
eastern coast. What chance, in your
opinion, do American roads stand Of
controlling this trade7"
Mr.. Roberts-"The American roads
have first TO call on all such trade, and
under equal conditions with the Cana.
dian roads could control it.n
The total amount Of subaidy and aid
given 10 the road by the Government
amounts TO a little over $62, ,000, 900 nc.
cording TO Mr.. Van Horns statement,
The trans.continontal trade from China,
Japan and the western part Of the coun.
try over the Canadian Pacific road Is
constantly increasing. II gets about 10
or l2 per cent Of all the Western and
Pacific trade.
After recess the examination OF Pres
ident Van Horne was heard.
"The impression Is general, F" said he,
"that the relations Of the Canadian Pa
cific road with the Government are ex.
Ceedlngly intimate, but / assure you
that tho relations are anything but In
timate, and not as cordial or intimate as
those between tho Pennsylvania road
and your Government at Washington.
In reference 10 the subsidies about
which so much has been said, the Ca.
madam Pacific got $35,0O0,000 for Ia
whole road, while the Union Pacific fol
about one.hali the distance was given
4G,000,0Q0 acres Of land, and It's line
was not half az hard q one 10 build al
ours. Then nearly all our rails and ma.
terials for the road came from the United
States o
as 1t not fact that before three OF
four months the Canadian Pacific road
cannot be cpcratedH" asked Senator
German.
1--WE can run with absolute certainty
every day In the year" was the reply
HWhere snow 10 10 be- feared We have
red cedar tunnels costing over $26,00C
per mile. Altogether we have no adj
vantage over tho American llneB a. al
though labor 10 somewhat cheaper Will
uH, tho greatest portion Of our coal Gomez
from Pennsylvania and Ohio, and there.
fore costs us more than u docs YOU
roads,
Mr., Van Horne was followed by Pres
ident and General Manager John Nc
we'll, OF the Lake Shore 4 Michigan rail
way, He testified that his road suffered
severely from the heCompetitIve prautiCes,o
the Canadian roads, aud offered 10 fur
nish the committee with documentar,
evidence Of the unfair dealings AMI
methods Oi the Grand Trunk Railway Il
particular, which he said was now one b
The largest carriers hut Of Chicago
Chairman CulI0tn accepted bis olISt,'
Continuing, President. Newell gAi,
that the Canadian roads liked nothlh
better than q upool," Buph IA they hal
oil beon Ia In tile Central Traffic AGsocII
llon, for tho reason that the rates at
then lRh enough lor the roads 10 max
d good living and tho members Of th
pssoclALlon are bound 10 maintain then
The Grand Trunk, however, by lts Uanl