Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-06
WHERRY'SB0MB
The Old Democratic Leader
Supports Mr.. Carnegie
In HIS BIG RAILWAY FIGHT
Farmers Are GOuged by the Pennsy's
Discriminating Policy.
HEAVY DIVIDENDS MUST BE PAID.
Local Railroad Men Fail to Answer the
Iron Kings Arguments.
N HIS BIG RAILWAY FIGHT
HEAVY DIVIDENDS MUST BE PAID
AKEArMOvE 10 BURY THE SOUTH PENN

city last evening was Representative
wherry, of Shippensburg, the Democratic
leader of the House. Mr.. Wherry is tall
and angular and q little stopped in the
shoulders. He is q farmer, not a lawyer, as
many people have supposed, because of his
great fighting qualities. Without doubt
Mr.. Wherry is one of the best fighters in
the House. He launched at once into one
of his fsvorire subjects as soon as reporter
approached him, and this is what he said:
lam glad that Mr.. Carnegie is going to help
me out with my anti-discrimination bill next
Monday. need some help to fight the Penn
sylvania road. This railroad has Disseminated
to such an extent against the farmers Of East
ern PENNSYLVANIA that in the famous Cumber-
land valley farms that 10 years ago sold for
$50 per acre will now bring only $50 an acre.
To ship my wheat to Philadelphia, distance
of lz2 miles, 1 have to pay as much per bushel
as the Dakota farmer. 1 shipped cattle TO
Philadelphia, and when got there found
Iowa cattle in the city which cost SO per car
less to ship than my own. How in the world
could 1 in the face of such discrimination
compete with the Iowa and Dakota farmers.
ONE VERY BAD DIVERSION.
The Pennsylvania road agreed to pay the
stockholders of the Northern Central road
per cent dividends and to make up this money
they turn freight away from Philadelphia to
Baltimore; not that they wished to discriminate
against the Quaker City; but these dividends
had to be paid. In a similar manner the stock
holders of the united roads of New jersey re-
ceive 10 per cent dividends, the Ft. Wayne
stockholders per cent believe, and the peo-
pie of the keystone State are bled to pay them.
1t is an outrage, and if the evil is not remedied
it will be necessary to appoint State commits
sioners as Mr.. Carnegie suggests.
Now to show how things are done discov-
cred tackled on to an innocent little bill the
most invidious snake. 1t was nothing more
than a provision extending the grip OF the
Pennsylvania road on the South Penn for hve
runs out this summer, and the line With the
improvements lapses to the people. Assoon as
the charter expires the Pennsylvania road re-
linquishes all its rights in the defunct South
Penn. What was my surprise, therefore. TO
find Senate amendment tackled to House bill
amending the general corporation act of 1874
to provide for the sale Of copyrights and
patents giving corporations having unfinished
structures on their hands from i've TO ten
years TO complete them.
CHECKED JUST IN TIME.
In minute saw the import, and had the
bill referred to the Conference Committee. 1t
will come up again in a few days, but if that
bill passes it means that the South Penn will
he a dead letter for the next ten years at least.
The Speaker is likely to call the bill up at
any time, but it will not pass If can pre-
vent it
Now. concerning the resolution referring to
the mismanagement of the sinking fund,
which introduced, as 1 was in the minority
could do nothing, but will call it up by reso-
luton next week. l claim that S240,OOO has
been lost in the past two years through bad
management The scheme was worked by a
State Treasury banking syndicate of Philadel-
phia. About Iour banks are interested.
They agreed to sell s., ,0000OO worth of State
funds in Government bonds for State loans
can prove that they then run down the price
and pushed up the price of State loans 2 per
cent The result was the discrepancy of $240 600
of which speak. At the time this was done
there were 81, ZOO 900 of a sinking fund in the
completed there were only s., 100, 600 in the
Treasury, with $500, 900 to be added.
Mr.. Wherry was accompanied by his
wife, and they were going to Mansfield to
spend Sunday with Mr.. Wherry's brother.
Most ofthe Allegheny contingent returned
from Harrisburg last night
TO CARNEGIE FROM ANOTHER QUARTER.
As showing that the. winds blow from
various quarters upon the agitation which
Mr.. Carnegie has set afoat, the following
communication is of interest:
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
I have been much interested in reading Mr.
Andrew Carnegie's strong arraignment of the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad and believe that Mr.
Carnegie is as much to blame for the present
state of affairs as the monopoly" he de.
nounces. There Is one decisive way to bring
Pittsburg freight rates to their proper basis
and that is competition. When some citizens
of this city (who really had its interests al
heart) Recognized this fact steps were taker
and a chartef was procured TO build the South
Penn Railroad. Last summer Mr.. Carnegie
gave assurance that the road would undoubted
ly be built; andsyet it is practically abandoned
Why? Because Mr.. Carnegie, and others
thought more of their pocketbooks than theiI
expressed interests in the business prosperity
of Pittsburg.
Such men as the late Dr. David HostetteI
and Mr.. Ralph Bagaley backed the proposed
road financially and earnestly, and, had Mr.
Carnegie been so solicitous of the interests OF
his manufacturing city as to heartily cooperate
with them, few of his surplus millions would
have bought out the discontents, and the road
now be well on toward completion.
To Mr.. Carnegie is still open the great anC
only solution-competition- if he enter
into IL in a whole-hearted, business manner
with the guarantee that he won't step out il
the interest of some railroad company, there i.
no doubt that Pittsburg business men would
rally to support the project.
DISCUSSING SHYLoCKs.
Again, Mr.. Carnegie objects to Mr.. Roberts
remarks about employees wages, and likens him
to Shyiock. If Mr.. Roberts is Shylock. il
will be q grand day for the laboring men in
shall deserve such an appellarion. Mr.. Roberts
as the representative of a railroad corporation.
publishes Its earnings, and informs employees
that, as everything is prosperous, there will be
no reduction in wages He is therefore called
ShylockI Mr.. Carnegie is not compelled tc
publish his profits, which would undoubtedly
amount to proportionately as great an amount
for the number of stockholders; and with his
business relatively as prosperous, he plainly
tells his workingmen that there must be a re
duction. If he were only a Shylock of the
same nature?
That there is discrimination against Pitts
burg there is no doubt and the reason is ap
parent-there is no competition. If other
cities by business energy in this direction in
sure the building of rival roads, and we resi
quietly on our oars, putting all the dificultie:
our condition in this respect, who is to blame,
The Pennsylvania Railroad is the only direci
road to Pittsburg; there is no competition: they
charge high rates, and why not? Mr.. Carnegie
is one of the limited number of manufacturer
of steel beams, on which enormous profits arr
made, because there is 40 competition: he
charges exorbitant prices, and why notf
Mr.. Carnegie should be the last man to pro
test against these railroad methods which b,
employs in his own business to accomplish tn,
same result.
There is as stated before but one solution Il
the problem, and that is competitioni Compe
titionl Competition LAURENs.
PITrsBURG, April 5. 1889.