Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-18
CANADIAN RAILROADS
The Interstate Commerce Commission
in Session at Chicago.
Not i'm Favor of Restricting Commerce
With Canada.

CHICAGO, July 15.-The senate of the
Interstate commerce committee con-
tinues its hearing here today. Secretary
Stone, of the board of trade read the re-
port of questions submitted by the COM
mlttee. To the question-Do Canadian
transportation lines in the United States
affect the commercial interests of this
country favorably or unfsvorabIy, the
reply was: "Probably as a whole they
rffect it favorably, in so far as COM
merce is faborsbly affected by having
open to it as many channels
of trade as possible; smashing pools and
other traffic arrangements preiudioial to
the interests of commerce.; equalizinQ
rates to New England points where
American lines formerly charged exor-
bitant arbitrary rates. Traffic original
ing in the United States, and which would
naturally belong to American roads has
not been greatly diverted from them
except in case of perishable goods.
Canadian roads, Secretary Stone stated,
were among the first to build Ind oper-
ate transfer elevators here for the pre-
servation of the identity and weighing of
grain in hopper scales as required by the
lew of Illinois, which law is now, he says,
openly defed by some of the American
lines centering here. The Canadian
lines have won larger share of business
from the west by such measures and by
uniformly just and equitable treatment
of their patrons, and not by favoritism
to one shipper over another.
The report further says: We do not
consider any additional legislation neo-
essary; no further restrictions upon the
commerce between the United States
and Canada by the water routes should
be tolerated. The committee recon-
mended to the senators the enforcement
of the Interstate commerce act and such
laws as pertain to the bonded regulations
of the United States products passing
over the great commercial highways of
Canada as will allow them to pass I'M
trammeled in the future as in the past.
The adoption of any legislative meas
ures calculated to restrict transportation
facilities now enjoyed by all, would, in
the opinion of the committee bury in
impenetrable oblivion the party that ac-
DOM plished it. The committee suggested
additional legislation TO make it "unlaw-
full for railroad companies to combine
for the formation of railway associations
as the Trunk Line, Central Traffic, South
western Interstate Commerce Railway
association, etc, or railway trusts of any
description, believing that they destroy
com petition and evade laws"
ST. PAUL, July 15.-Chairman Cooley, of
the inter state commerce committee this
morning, had conference with the United
States Attorney Baxter, and the subject
under discussion was the charges which
has been preferred against this Mimi
eapolis, st. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie
road, for the violation of section 2 of the
inter state commerce law. After the
conference Attorney Baxter said: 81 will
proceed with the case againt the officers
of this road. The information will be
laid before the United States grand jury
next October. The principal charge is
made on consignment of 1900 gallons
of alcohol at the rate below their special
rates to the east"