The Brookhaven leader., 1889-08-08
THE ROCK ISLANDS POSITION.
General Manager st. Johns Reply TO mo
Statement of Alton Ofheials.


6oneral Manager St. JoHu ANof'S
Statement of Alton Omeiais.
Iron the Chicago Times1
General Manager Sc John, OF the chicago,
Rock Island h Pacific road, authorizes the
following statement in reply 20 assertions
recently made by Presidents .. -
McMullin OF the Chicago Alton IN pun
Hshed interview; s..x
',Mr. McMullin, in a recentpubltshed inter-
view, has clearly defined the presenHs pH'i 4.
70 insist on through rates being made on
basis that will give to it a fair share OF tine
traffic which goes to and comes from
points west OF Kansas City. lie Illus.
trates his meaning by citing shipment oi
live stock from Topeka on the Rock slan t
road through Kansas City to chicago
Upon such a shipment the tarins OF az tne
lines as heretofore adjusted PROVIDED ier
n through ratio somewhat less than the
sum OF two locals This practice was
in accordance with well recognlZSu pin
ciples of rate making az universally prac,,
ticed by carriers, and has been approved
by the interstate commerce commission,
which in a recent case used the following
language: AS throughrates are maue py eno
American system Of roads, agreed percent
nges Of the total rate, conslaerauiy ioss
amount than the local rates OF ROADS receN-
ing such percentages, are usually leadlnB
feature and it il eminently proper as
general rule that this should DO So.
Commerce and trade require IL ana coHpe-
tition compels it. Such rates, when rea-
sonably and fairly adjusted to local Dusi-
ness. are greatly favored in the law, be-
cause they furnish cheapened rates anu
greater facilities to the public, whiIe al the
same time they give increased employ
ment and earnings to larger numoer Oh
carriers ..,
upon live stock traffic from points In Kan
sas, Indian Territory, Texas, etc, through
Kansas City to Chicago, the difference pc
tween the sums of the locals and the
through rates was an entirely reasonable
difference, and the tariffs In question were
precisely upon the line OF the resolution
which Mr.. McMullin quotes approvlngly
Notwithstanding this, he says that he 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 no 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 III mas
furnished means to construct ana thls no
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 the Alton has just forced u
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
division OF the through rate charged upon
the lines where 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
tbs 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
involve a new reduction by the Alton to
the level OF the new 'proportionate rates.
and the process will be repeated until all
tho lines are doing business at loss and
somebody surrendcrs
The association has no desire to punish
the Alton for its withdrawal nor for any
thing else. Action necessary for the pro-
lection OF its lines against the Alton's raid
will probably DO taken. however"