The Portland daily press., 1889-07-06

investigation and inquiry before Senator
ouiioms present committee began its hear
ings. In 1885 the Senate committee on inter-
State commerce inquired into the matter, TAX
ing evidence and listening to arguments
OF shippers and railroad men. The next
year 1t reported to Congress- Senator Gull
lom was chirman of that committee as he is
OF the present one. In his report he had this
to say about the Grand Trunk railroad and
its relations to American lines:
With regard to the Grand Trunk railway of
Canada, which, as you observe, begins ana ends
in the United states but is mainly In the Domin
lon, from considerable familiarity with the condi-
lions attending The operation Of that road, I'VE do
not think that there are any elements of advantage
In its situation that demalld adverse legislation In
the interest OF American lines While 1t |, true
that the portion OF the Grand Trunk located cut
side our national jurisdiction Is beyond the reach
of laws that we may enact for the regulation of
Interstate commerce, we see no reason for be
lleving that such fact would be relied upon (even
II available) by the foreign corporation as a dis
turbing element in the fair adjustment of The
throughrates. Ii must not be forgotten that The
urand Trunk has been constructed and equipped at
a larger cost per mile than almost any other road
OF single track In the country. The money for the
work has been furnished by actual shareholders,
whose only chance OF securing return upon tie
vast capital invested Is by maintaining rates and
not depressing them. Indeed we are unable to
discover that the Grand Trunk narement. if
less demonstrative, has not been more conserya-
tive la It's action with regard to trafc polity than
some OF its neighbors within the States who fire.
quently are not slow in charging the Canadians as
the authors OF all In traffic way that the railroad
The physical disadvantages attending the oper-
alton OF the Crank Trunk are apparent The re-
zion when lts line trayerses Is characterized by
long, colu winters, and q store track upon the
lower end of the road, containing 1t is said about
mile OF snow plows, speaks more forclbiy than
words OF the cost and difficulty of Keeping the
road open for winter traffic. TO this last dlssd-
vaniag add the fact that the largest per cent of
IFS through business must be derived from PEG
pie disposed from habit and tradition to paroniZe
their own institutions rather than those of for
elgn neighbours and we must conclude that the
Grana trunk, leit upon an equal footing with
our own ROADS, Will not prove an obstacle in the
way OF desirable rates for our inter State com
merce.
This report was made only three years
ago. Nothing has occurred since then to
changethe facts. nor in any way to cast doubt
upon the correctness of the committees con-
clusion There are today no elements of
advantage in the Grand Trunks situation,
which demand adverse legislation that
were not there in 1886. Indeed there are
less, because when this report was made the
Interstate commerce law had not been
passed, and it was somewhat uncertain
whether its provisions could be made to ap.
ply to the Grand Trunk as strictly as to our
own roads. Since then the law has been
passed, and the interstate commerce COM
mission has applied it as strictly to the
Grand Trunk as to the Union Pacific or any
other American read. The fact that the
Grand Trunk lies largely in Canada gives it
not particle Of advantage under the inter-
State commerce law. It Is as much con-
strained and restrained by that law as roads
that lie wholly in our own territory.
Having come to the conclusion In 1886,
after long and patient investigation, that
there was no sound reason for adverse legis-
lation in regard TO the Grand Trunk, and
nothing having occurred since then to change
the facts on which that conclusion was based
II is fair to presume that Senator Cullom
remains Of the same opinion still.