St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-25
TIE REASON FOR 1T.
Chairman Blanchard Explains
Why the Alton Boycott Is De-

served.
CHICAGO, April 24.-Chairman George
r. Blanchard, of the Central Traffic as
ISOLATION, made the following statement
to an Associated Press reporter to-day
concerning the position of the lines
which have discontinued passenger re-
lations with the Chicago & Alton road:
In January last that company, with
others, was courteously requested by
the presidents and managers of sixty
one Eastern railway companies to de-
SiSt from paying commissions to their
ticket agents, such agents being i'll
structed not to receive commits
sions from foreign roads. The
law being settled, that one
person or corporation has no right to
interfere with the employees of another,
we also advised all our connections that
such interference would be cause for
cancelling joint passenger relations.
On April the manager of the Alton
responded to our final appeal by writ
ten statement that his company was in
favor of the payment of a reasonable
commission to ticket agents, and could
not consistently commit himself to an
opposite policy. 1t mailed to all our
coupon agents circulars styling the ac-
ton Of our presidents fad; paid CON-
missions to agents whom it knew were
directed not to receive them, and pub-
licly announced that if our lines wished
to stop the practice, they should pre-
vent their agents from receiving
the money, we'll knowing the impos-
sibility of accomplishing this, since the
United States mails are inviolable. 1t
also advised them that it would continue
to pay those who would present commits
sion claims. Any one can see that if
agents are paid money to sell tickets by
a given route the employer is unable to
control them or to deal impartially with
connections or justly with the public.
Joint relations between railroad COM
panieS are matters of contract. The
Alton road being unwilling in such
joint business to cease soliciting our
agents to violate their instructions. the
Eastern roads were compelled either to
yield Internationally or to stop selling
Alton tickets. on which brides
could be covertly paid. The latter
course was clearly necessary for
our own defense, the public
interest, and the protection of other
Western connections which put the
sales of their tickets uncOnditiOnally-in
our hands. The termination of paSSen-
ger traffic relations was therefore forced
company. The agency of the latter in
respect to east-bound business was sus-
pended, and at the same time the East
ern lines withdrew from their agency
for the Alton in west-bound business.
All this is a purely voluntary position
on the part of the Alton company. Our
action was taken regretfully, and not
in any spirit of boycott. We demur to
the use of the word. A boycott is an
unjustifable interference with another
in the conduct of his own business. We
are simply conducting our business in
our own legal way. We do not inter
fere with the business of the Al
ton road or its employees. On
the contrary, it is that company
which claims the right to interfere with
our business and to Seduce our employees
with money. Its Opportunity for doing
so has been stoppedIn the only practi-
cable manner. If any one thinks our
action is not in the interest Of the travel
Ing public, they should read the recent
opinions and reports of the interstate
commerce commission. which has re-
peatedly recommended that the pay
ment of commissions ny one railroad
cu.lpany TO agents Of another FOX III