Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-01
,ATES P0OliIG
Blanchard Would Return
(0ld System at Once
sTFOR THE0lIOUSLAW.
he Believes in Giving the Weak Lines
Differential Rates
TO STOP THE COMMISSION BUSINESS

Commissioner Blanchard, of the Central
Traffic Association, passed through the city
last night, bound from New York to Chi
cseo. There will be meeting of the West
ern roads with the Joint Rate Committee in
Chicago to-day for the purpose of extending
the jurisdiction of the weighing and inspec-
ton bureaus. Mr.. Blanchard is impressed
with the importance of the work, and he is
anxious to have the system extended.
On the question of commissions. he said:
f'The only way in which commissions can
be abolished is to give the weaker lines a
diferential rate. 1 believe in the old pool
ing system, and would 60 back to it to-mor-
ow if the law would allow it. What harm
ould be done by submitting the plan of the
pool to a Governmental committee for their
approval? Some of the Senators
PROPOSED SUCH A SCHEME
hen the commerce law was under discus
don. What difference does it make whether
the roads divide the gross receipts among
themselves on pooling basis, or make an
agreement to maintain rates?
"a few years ago the newspapers jumped
on the roads for making pools. Now they
rake them over the Goals for cutting rates
and not earning dividends. 1t shows that
the gentlemen of the press have good sense,
and are coming around to accept the views
of the railroad men held before the days of
the interstate law. If private citizen
makes a good investment in real estate his
fellows saw he is a shrewd man, but if he in
vests in railroad stock. and it increases, the
newspapers denounce him as robber. lis
always SO when a corporation is under dis
cussion.
''It is not true that the Trunk Line and
Central Traffic Associations will be COM
bined. There are too many railroads for
one organization, and the plan wouldn't
work. The Central Traffic Association will
be continued, and there is no danger of it
collapsing The roads are maintaining
rates, and 1 hope it will continue One can't
tell what kind of year this will be for
business. So much depends on the crops
and the lake competition"
DECIDED STEPS TO BE TAKEN.
Chairman Blanchard has calleds meeting
of general managers to be held in New
York March 6 to consider the commission
question, or evil rather, as the Pennsylvania
officials would express it.
An intelligent drummer who travels ex-
iensiTely, remarked the other day that the
weaker roads could not exist without pay
prohibitory laws. Such laws would be un-
constitutional anyhow as well as deliber-
ate attempt to check business by shutting
out the poorer lines.
Railroad men do not agree by any means
on this commission question. The Pennsyl-
vania officials who would have everything
to gain and nothing TO lose at the expense
of their weaker competitors, are rabid for
the abolishment of commissions.
Said railroad man yesterday: SIT is a
notorious fact that with all the other roads
fighting them, the Chicago and Alton made
finer passenger showing last year than any
other road in the country, and the c. & A.
paid commissions, and is doing il now.
The first year the Erie system abolished
the commission business the number of
passengers carried to New York annually
fell of 63,00O At $40 per capita, allowing
the agent the balance of the rate between
Chicago and New York, they could have
been $3.50 900 ahead. The expenses would
NOT have been increased. Instead of
RUENING EMPTY. TRAINS
their cam should have been crowded with
people. These passengers went to other
roads, the New York Central and the Penn
sylvania. 'Tis plain to be seen why the
latter roads are so anxious to down the COM
mission system. When they have gobbled
the earth they will be satisfied.
"Since the agitation against commissions
was started bv Judge Cooley and some of
the larger lines, the system has been greatly
abused 1t attracted into the business lot
of disreputable brokers, who have taken ad-
vantage of every opportunity to cheat the
public as well as the railroads The time
was when the commissions were confined to
railroad men only. Now the roads by their
action have deprived honorable employees of
their Just dues, and turned it over to the
scalper, When the railroads paid commits
Eions to their own men, il was seldom any
complaints were made.
CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED.
''The employees were held to a rigid ac-
count, and if one was discovered cutting a
rate or giving a rebate he was fired bodily.
lon't you think it would be better to have
the business conducted by men who can be
reached rather than by outsiders who can
snap their fingers at the companies?
"What harm is there in paying a man a
percentage? 1t has been proven often that
he will do more and better work than a sal
aried employe. The weaker lines must have
men to work up trade for them or collapse.
Yesterday the Ohio Legislature defeated
the 2-cent a mile rate for that State. II
such law were passed the majority Of the
roads in Ohio would not be able to hold up
under the strain. The Nypano, Cincinnati,
Hamilton and Dayton, Lake Shore and
Pennsylvania roads could stand the reduc-
fion, but none of the Others"