St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-14
RAILWAY DIFFICULTIES.
Nothing Has Been Settled by Last
Years PresideutS' Agreement.

Nothing Has Been Settled by Last
Years Presidents Agreement.
New York Commercial Bulletin.
After about years trial, railroad
managers have come to the understand
ing that the much-vaunted presidents
agreement of last year settled nothing
and helped nobody. 1t might have BEEN
a good thing, if the railroads were; in
all cases known to speak when their
presidents spoke. But the latter Weref
to some extent buIldozed, or represent
ed that they were, by certain bankers
who had for negotiation important
blocks of securities. Whether the SCI
curities have been marketed OF the
attempt to market them has failed,
this at least is evident. that the
bankers are not just now regarded as
entitled to dictate to anybody. Mearl-i
while, the Missouri Pacific objects TO
the agreement between the Union IA
cific and the Chicago d Northwestern
as respects theil mutual exchangei oLs
traffic, and apparently with some
reason, since Union Pacific was Duiit
with public funds, and under express
obligation to give equal facilities to all
roads connecting with it at the eastern
termini, of which the Missouri Pacific
is one at Omaha and also at Kansas
City. The Rock Island objects for sub
stantially the same reason. competing
lines are being built westward to cut on
the business of the Union Pacific, ana
its managers are compelled TO CONSIDER
whether they can sustain themselves
against the present and future competl-
ton with the one ally they have Sc
cured.
This is not the only, nor on the whole
the worst of the disagreementS which
the past year has developed. The MAN.
itoba line has not only been completed
to the lakes, thus cutting Off supplies
from nearly every road which runs east
ward to or from Chicago, but 1T has Sc
cured a line of steamers to run On the
lakes in connection with it, and pro-
poses to make lower rates than any
other route to the eastward can afford
to make. 1t has especial advantages In
the shortness of its railway lines anu
the cheapHeSS of its lake service, ana
for all freight coming eastward from
Dakota or Nebraska, OF the states ana
territories west OF them, as well as LOT
freight from much of Minnesota ana
Iowa, claims to be the shortest ana
cheapest route to the seaboard. Last
year the other lines seemed to be really
unable to compete with it without sac
rificing their local traffic under the
interstate law, though its facilities
were not then completed. This year
the question is whether they will make
any attempt to establish rates which
the Manitoba line will not also accept
and maintain.
The competition of Canadian rail-
WAYS on the one hand and of Southern
lines on the other, has not been over
looked. Some sort of agreement might
be made, it is likely, with the Canadian
roads, if the Manitoba and the lake
lines were not in the way. The roads
leading to Newport News and Baltl-
more have nothing to gain by consent
ing to be shut out from the tranSporta-
ton of east-bound freights, and do not
seem inclined to accept losses instead
of profits for the convenience OF otnerS.
No satisfactory adjustment OF these
rivalries appears to have been pro-
posed. and when the opening OF the
lake routes inaugurates go as-you-
please" race for all, they will not be
slow to bid as best they css for the
traffic available.
Thus it appears that, instead of a close
and firm league of railroads to main
cago, there is now danger of a pro,
longed competition, in which the old
trunk lines appear to have decidedly
the disadvantage. They do not seem to:
have gained anything by years nego-;
tiation and experiment, excepting the
better profits which the year has
brought. The same old questions
which threatened their peace year or
more ago are threatening now, with
others at least as difficult to settle. The
incapacity of the interstate commission
to settle any of the questions arising
has been sufficiently manifested. State
legislation has made matters not better,
but worse, during the past year. The
only clear sign of hope for the railway
systems is the recent decision of the SUI
preme court in the Minnesota cases,
which the newspapers ond shippers OF
Western states appear inclined to con-
test as tar as they are able.