The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-10
A LAW TO AID JAY GOULD.


There are evidences that renewed eff
fort will be made at Washington City the
coming year TO secure legislation designed
to prevent the Canadian Pacific railroad
from competing with the American roads
in the carrying of freights for American
customers. This business is now large
part of the general traffic of the Canadian
A very considerable percentage Of Ameri-
can freights from East to West is sent
north to the Canadian line, brought across
the continent by that line and to its desti-
nation south from its Pacific coast termi-
nus. The Canadian Pacific has never en-
tered in any full or thorough sense into
the American pool arrangements, and has
always served as competitor rather than
as partner with the American roads
Being beyond the jurisdiction OF the Inter
state Commerce and other laws governing
American railroads, ii has and always viii
have the advantage of a free lance, and it
may always act as regulator of American
freight rates.
1t is this that the great transcontinental
railroad companies wish to prevent. Find
ing themselves unable TO hold the Cana
dian Pacific to any pool arrangement, they
are anxious to secure legislation that will
prevent it from carrying American freights
at all. 1t is hoped to accomplish this by
doing away with the regulation which now
permits American goods to be loaded on
bonded cars, carried north to Canada and
across the Canadian road in bond and de-
hvered on the American side again from
the same cars. Another suggestion is to
put tax upon cars passing the boundary
line so heavy as to compel transfer to
other cars, thus making delay in transit,
greater liability to damage and, of course.
greater cost In freight rates. Legislation
involving these and other restrictive and
vexatious requirements is now proposed at
Washington, and 1t is promised that it will
be urged upon the next session of Con-
gress.
OF course this measure is purely in the
interest of the railroads. inasmuch as it is
designed for no other purpose than to pre-
vent competition by the Canadian Pacific.
How important this competition is. how
essential it is to the interests of the people.
none know better than the people of Seat
tie. 1t was at one time the salvation of
this city. Without it the Northern Pacific
railroad would have been able not only to
discriminate but absolutely to shut out
Seattle from the advantages of direct re-
ceipt of Eastern freights. With 1t the
Northern Pacific found it necessary 10
make changes in its policy which enabled
the city to maintain its business and CON-
mercial position.
The Canadian Pacific railroad with its
close relationship to American transconti-
mental traffic and its positive independence,
is an important check upon the rapacity
and greed of the American transconti-
mental roads. To shut it out of the field
of general competition would be in effect
to give the American managers unlimited
license to combine and to impose upon the
people such burdens as they choose. A
Law against competition by the Canadian
Pacific is against the interests of the peo-
pie and . law to aid Jay Gould and other
monopolists in their efforts to cinch the
public.