The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-06
HAVE Benefited NEW ENGLAND.
President Choates's Opinion of the
Canadian Railroads.
Railroad Managers Talk to the sena-
tors at the Hub
On Question of Vital interest to
Portland.


Commerce, which has under investigation
the relation Of the Canadian railways to the
interstate commerce laws and the Uuited
States railroads, began its sessions in this
city today at the Office of the Railroad Com
missioners on Beacon street. Senator Cul-
lom presided, and Senators Hiscock, German,
Blair, Harris and Reagan, Of the committee.
were also present.
At lilo O'clock Senator Cullom chairman
Of the committee, raped to order and said
that the committee was in Boston for the
purpose of investigation, and In order that
all might understand what the scope Of the
committees powers were he would ask the
clerk Of the committee to read the resolu-
tion under which the committee was acting.
The resolution Is as follows:
"Resolved, That the Committee on Interstate
Commerce be, and it is hereby, directed to ascer-
tain and report to the Senate whether any rail-
operated, or controlled by the Grand Trunk Rail.
way Company, the Canadian Pacific Railway
marathon. whether Commerce orieinafing in the
United States is diverted from American to Cana
dian lines Of transportation and, II so. TO what
extent and by what means; and whether there Is
any discrimination in the charges made for tolls,
| or otherwise, against American vessels which
pass through the Welland ami st. Lawrence
Said committee is further directed to inquire
fully into the question Of the regulation Of COM
merce carried on by railroad or water routes be
tween the United States and the dominion OF
Canada and to report what legislation on the
the Commercial interests @ Of the United States or
| to promote the enforcement of the Act to Regu-
late Commerce. approved Feb. 4, 1887"
President Bliss.
President Bliss of the Boston and Albany
Railroad Company was invited to give his
views to the committee. President Bliss
said that he was president of the Boston q
Albany railroad, which had termini at Bos-
ton, Albany and Hudson, and whose con-
nection was the New York Central. He
was not one of those who believed that the
Grand Trunk railroad should be prevented
at this late day from doing business in the
United States, provided, however, they were
subjected to all the rules and regulations to
which American roads are subjected. 1t
had been shown to have been wise to restrict
the coastwiSe trade, and had 1t not been
restricted, it would have been in just about
the same condition as the foreign trade now
was. He had no personal knowledge that
the Canadian roads were making reduced
rates, but the general opinion was that they
were. If they made reduced rates to in
dividuals, he considered that they failed to
comply with the provisions of the inter-
State commerce act. The Canadian roads
could by their own act subject themselves to
the control of the commission, leaving all
their books, etc., open to the inspection Of
the commission II the system oi granting
| was continued. it would be an
would divert trade from it; in the present
state of the law the diversion would prOba-
bly, be considerable, as the Canadian roads
would probably make whatever rates they
saw fit. He did not know why it was not
possible for the American roads to compete
with the Canadian roads, even IL the latter
were granted subsidies. The annual traffic
Of his road between Boston aud Albany was
about $780, 600 tons, about 40 per cent Of
which was through business.
To Senator German, President Bliss said
he thought that the interstate commerce law
had been in the main beneficial, or at least
would have been had it been enforced. The
law had not had fair trial. and it would be
hardly fair to amend 1t much until 1t had had
fair trial.
President Choats.
President Choate Of the Old Colony was
next called upon, and said, when asked as to
his views on the question under investiga-
tion, that he was really President of
local road having but one western
connection. As to the through business to
New England, he felt that the Canadian
roads and the resulting competition had had
an important influence upon 1t. This compe-
tition had resulted in lower rates and cores
ponding benefits to manufacturers. He
thought the Canadian lines were natural
competitors, having tho advantage also Of
not being encumbered by the necessity OF
paying dividends. Both the Canadian Pacific
and the Grand Trunk had been helped by the
government. He doubted very much If any
law regulating the competition of the Cana
dian roads could be enforced, though 1t
would be an excellent thing If those roads
be subjected to the same Interstate commerce
provisions as our our own roads. How it
could be done he would not undertake to say
certainly not by leg, Station. The result
might be reached by treaty regulations by
which Canada would impose the same regu-
lations upon her roads as imposed by the
government upon those in the United States
To Senator German witness said the COM
petition of the Canadian roads had been OF
advantage to New England and was now.
The Canadian roads had always been COM
peting roads, very largely, perhaps, because
they were not compelled to pay any diyi-
dends. He would favor permitting the Cana
dian roads to run q straight line through
New England entire. provided they were
subjected to the. same. regulations as our
roads. To exclude their cars would be
pretty marsh measure, ana he should not
favor 1t. To say to Canada, I'VE will pre-
vent you from taking American products
through your own territory and back into
our own unless you permit our fishing YES
sells to enter your ports, and ship over your
roads," would be fair enough, but it must be
taken into consideration that large number
of Americans would be affected by such ae-
tion and Canadian route was of advantage
to many of our people.
Traffic Manager Whitmore.
General Traffic Manager Whitmore of the
Fitchburg road thought the Canadian
roads should certainly be regulated
the some way to control what they do
South of line from Portland to
White River junction, the people of New
England are very little benefited by the
Canadian lines and could get along without
them. He believed that this section would
get just as cheap transportation without
those roads. Their tendency was rather to
draw trade away from Boston than toward
it. American roads are seriously injured by
the competition of the Canadian Pacific Mr..
Whtmore thought the interstate commerce
law defective, not only in regard to the Cana
dian roads but also In regard to building
roads in this country. There Is not sufficient
restriction in building roads. He believed
the situation would be worse without the
law, mainly because rates would then be
made without being published by the Cana
dian or American roads.
Traffic Manager Mullen.
G. S. Mullen, general traffic man.