Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-06


peaceful.
NEW YORK, September 5.-Joseph Hick-
son, of Montreal, general manager of the
Grand Trunk Railway system, was in the
city attending a quarterly meeting at the
Trunk Line Commissioners office. In re-
ply to question as to the "war feeling" in
Canada he laughed heartily and remarked:
''Why, haven't heard of any war feeling
except in a few newspapers which seemed to
be looking for a sensation. The people of
Canada are very peaceably inclined so far
as can discover. They regard the work Of
your revenue cutter in Behring Sea as
huge Joke. She overhauls Canadian seal
ing vessel, puts prize crew of one man
aboard, tells her to sail for Sitka, and sails
away again. The prize crew simply lies
in his bunk, while the sealer seeks Cana
dian port and turns over her cargo, prize
crew, and all, to her owners.
81 should consider that more of joke
than anything else. You needn't fear that
Canada will try to thrash the United States
until she finishes up the prize crews
They are her greatest bugbears just now.
OF course, Canada claims that you have no
ground for attempting to close Behring
Sea, but the matter will be settled by diplo-
matte negotiation. The Vancouver sealers
seem to think the Government somewhat
slow about it, but they can't well 60 to war
without the Governments consent"
NOT MUCH OF DISPUTE.
"How did you come out of your con-
troversy with the interstate Commerce,
Commission?"
1--WE had no controversy that know of.
The commission thought we were unwilling
to recognize their jurisdiction, and the
question was brought up on the importation
of coal over our line into Canada. We have
simply posted our rates with the commits
sion and gone on about our business. The
commission couldn't fix our rates fof US, and
didn't try to do SO. was at the Trunk Line.
Commissioners Office to-day, and heard
many expressions of regret at the departure
of Albert Fink. He has been great loss to
the railroads. His calm, judicial mind, his
patience and his great ability, enabled him
to fill that most trying position with won
derful degree of satisfaction to railroad men,
and his place will be hard to fill. 1 under
stand that he is very sick man, and willsI
probably never return to America, and l
am truly sorry for it.
ST wish could have as high a regard for
the wisdom of all your laws as I have for
the American Government and the Amer
lean people, for l look upon the latter with
sentiments more than respectful" he con-
tinued. "But must say am not in SYM
pathy with your contract labor law. Its
motive is doubtless good, but seriously
question its wisdom.
A CHINESE WALL.
'Here you are, one of the greatest and
most progressive nations of the world to-day,
and you have turned back to ancient his
tory and built a veritable Chinese wall
about your land. just to think, 1 cannot
employ Canadian to load our cars on the
American side without submit to fine of
s., 900 for each man so employed. 1t makes
no difference if my men are trained in the
service and are thoroughly competent, 1
cannot use them on this side of the line
without violating your law. 1t is the same
in all branches of business.
"Now, it seems to me that this country is
large enough for us all, and for my part 1
would not prevent any man from coming in;
but you do. You have barred out the
Chinese absolutely. In Canada we impose
a tariff of $50 on each one that lands, and
let as many come as choose at that price.
They don't seem to interfere with us much,
Your Congress, doubtless, thought its
reasons good, or the act would not have
been passed; but don't understand how
shey can DO you any more harm than they
do us.
''It may be out of place for me to criticise
your laws, but you ask me what think and
I tell you. Returning to railroad subjects.
in which am interested, L must say that
much of the good that could have been ac-
complished by the Interstate Commerce
Commission seems to me to have been lost
sight of in framing the law creating it.
POOLING ALL RIGHT
''The prohibition of pooling has deprived
the railroads of one of their greatest levers
for the maintenance of rates. Four or five
competing lines solemnly agree by their rep
resentatives to maintain rates. Now, if one
of these representatives is dishonest or dis
posed to be tricky, he may secretly cut rates |
to the disadvantage of the other roads, and |
you have no power to punish him because of |
the difficulty OF proving the charge. When |
pooling was allowed it removed the incen- |
tive for dishonesty or trickery; put, as the |
law now stands, you have simply put a
premium on dishonesty.
"You have feared combinations and have |
forced consultations. Now, it seems to me |
that pooling should have been legalized, the |
reasona bleness of rates submitted to the |
Interstate Commerce Commission, whose |
members are surely competent to Judge on |
that point, and you would have simpIifed