The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-05
ROBERTS ON READING
Pennsy'S President Throws
Out a Broad Hint of
Coming War.
FOND OF PEACE, BUT
His Company Will Not Coun-
tenanee High Prices and
Restrictive Products.
Railroad Ownership of Coal Prop
perties EmphaticallY Con-
demned.
specfal 10 the Jerseu citu Meus.

special to the jersey Ctr Netcs
PHILADELPHIA, May 5, 1s92.-President
George B. Roberts of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company was yesterday asked
for further expression of his views on
the question of transportation rates. In
an interview in the Press of this city on
April 26 he expressed very freely his
judgment as to the course through rates
over trunk liues and Western lines would
be likely to take, and so far his Judgment
in respect to these rates seems to have
been justified by the events. 1t is admit
ted, however, that there is a general dis
turbance of through rates all over the
country and that their general course is
downward. In the interview referred to
Mr.. Roberts did not give any positive
expression to his views on coal rates. AS
the public would be glad to know his
views ON that subject he WAS asked
whether there was any reason why he
should not express an opinion on that
subject also. He answered.
EQUALIZATION OF RATES FoREsEEN.
~ see no reason why should not, as
my views have been we'll known for sew
eral years. I have never been able to
close my eyes to the fact that, sooner or
later, the disparity between bituminous
and anthracite rates would cause trouble
to the anthracite carriers, who are also
carriers of biJuminous coal, and that
sooner or later an equalization of the
rates on both classes of coal would be
forced upon them. The rates received for
carrying bituminous coal are not over
two-thirds of the rates per ton per mile
anthracite coal Is paying. yet bituminous
coal rates are considered fairly rcmunera
tive. The conclusion reached by the In
terstate Commerce Commission in the
case of Coke Brothers against the Lehigh
Valley also seemed to indicate that the
two rates must be brough. closer to-
gether."
But, Mr.. Roberts, as / understood, the
question now presented is not as to the
maintenance of those rates which the In
terstate Commerce Commission declared
toibe too high, but it is proposed to advance
the price of anthracite coal, which would,
of course. involve Ill increase of the rates
for carrying it. Win yon give the public
your opinion on this supject?"
"It has always been the policy of our
company" replied Mr.. Roberts, 'as far
as possible to manage its traffic in har-
mony with it's competitors. and our recent
action simply made our rates conform as
nearly as possible to those which were
Lneu Utluk CudEBcu Oy Juliet liuOSs IL w do
made necessary by the new system es
tabished by our competitors of making
the rate bear certain relative proportion
TO the selling price of the coal, and re-
suited in a reduction of the nominal rates
which have been prevailing, and 1t seemed
to me to tend toward proportionate re.
duction in the cost Of the coal to the con-
sumer.
A COVERT THREAT,
"But If this ia to be followed by an ad-
vance in the price of coal. forced by cur
tailment of the production. l fear it would
be impracticable for our company to con-
tinue the policy it has always heretofore
deemed 1t wise to adopt, as we have never
at any time been in harmony with the
policy of restricting production for the
purpose of advancing the price of COM
modify, and the interests of our company
are those Of transporter whose object it
| Is to stimu the production of articles
rather than restrict them"
"Then. Mr.. Roberts, you do not think 1t
| would be to the interests of your COM
pany, or of any other large railway COM
pany engaged in transportation, to adopt
the policy that seems now to be pursued
| in the anthracite business, of restricting
the production and advancing the price
to the consumer, for the purpose of get
ting better price for the coal at The pits
mouth and higher rates for transporta-
tion."
II do not believe" replied Mr.. Roberts,
"that 1t is to the interest of the public or
of any railway company engaged in its
legitimate business as transporter, to
become owners of coal property so as to
bring them, as both transporters and pro-
ducers into antagonism with the inter-
ests of the community. This policy, how
ever, having obtained among the larger
companies. the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company was compelled, previous to my
| administration n tO acOuira soma antracita
coal property for the protection of It's
customers on its lines as well as its trans
porting interests. This policy has been
| studiously avoided ever since, so far as
| it was possible to do so.
READING POLICY CONDEMNED.
"At the present time the manufacture
| ing interest of the country, as we'll as the
! mining industries, are In a very depressed
| condition, and 1t seems 10 be a necessity,
| in the bituminous traffic as well as in the
| iron Industries, for the transporter to
make concessions Ia a variety of ways in
| the endeaver to keep these industries In
| a productive condition. The policy now
| proposed, as understand it, in the hand
| ling of the anthracite product is to be the
reverse of this, and would mean an en-
| deavor to secure higher prices for the
anthracite coal which is so necessary to
many OF our industrial interests, and also
higher prices for the transportation there
| of by curtailing the product. This GER
| tainly seems to be very unwise policy to
pursue"
''It will be concluded from this, then.
| that your company is not prepared to
| Join the recent, combination in their pro-
| posed methodist"
| mo. sir; our company does not believe
| that it Is either to the interests of the
| public or Of its shareholders. to become Il
party to q combination which proposes to
| restrict the production of an article
TO the commercial prosperity of the coun
| try. We believe that any such policy
| must inevitably result in arraying the
1t is not theory but fact-that Hoods Sarsa-
parilla makes the weak strong, A fair trial will
convince you of its merit.