New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-16
A TALK WITH MIR. DEPEW.
HIS MISSION TO WASHINGTON.
,,scrss1NG THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW
-NAII-.AY COMPETITION

&C he sat at bis desk. before MN phc VI 49,
which had accumulated during his brief absence MI,
n.new showed signs Of being tickled every no" anu
then BY the contents of the pile. This man has inc
,,vtsbe faculty Of being pleased with almost any
..,re that occurs SIN there are solemn moments
- his ufe The appearance of a blackOoruereu en-
.,one is likely to excite his sympathy n'S''ru'N
no opencd such an envelope Ihe i''ter WIS Po7'
rorked Chicago. It inclosod OiAcRooNc'o" '''"
u,,h the inscription. "Chauncey VI. Depe" Co"'
,o,cnces.- on the other side was p'' VI ""'.,
-ood In rs way but little late for use IN snc
So .nro,rr II was sicned a Friend Inc
-. r.oe nrobablv "a friend" but somewhat 'aruN
=, s,,,u,vinc advice Mr. Depew laughed over Wv.
",,o.rancc OF tho black-bordered cDistle Win ''s
',od advice but II was peculiar EuHh. anu "
,st r,nnle died away there was ho'apic '"''"
..ross indicating that that was one oi HIS S''"'
moments. ,ono, with the Presi-
800 him very plnlosophic over the results
'e, -. .,oct,on To use substantially his own eNi'cs
u Wv .,no Republican party has PIT upon lhe Po''
-, which indicates the high water Oh N'ie' 90
o.osnsrftv and sound business ana hhahoiai -
..s. NJ principles In Administration VIII 70 49,
o "a. viii rise with them up 20 that mark anu Vue
tsnce that II falls below will be the measure VI '"'
unHtness for power. .,,,,,, % vons
= .,1 norr ;, continued ifr. Dcpew. tihhA II "o"'f
:. r.n for Republicans TO paste the Prcsioeh, is'
- in tb.r hats and reiec to its statement Oh TO-
III, e,ch wear for comparison with The annual 'o
SUI. ,rhicr come from Washington during the next
four wears" .,,,,,.rt os inGu
.ntlsl Republicans in Washington TO De over ''o -
snlts of the election" was asked a., -.
at found, answered Nh Depew, that Tue he-
rr,,icsn Members Of Congress and Senator'S hsd re
or.rad from the depression consequent npon uie
s,er and that with true American puck ana sMrN
A., were looldHg forward 10 the futurs, WHO our
n-mooratlc friends were apprehensNe 70 "o5'ro VI
.hs responsibility Of power several OF thch Saiu 10
me that they hoped a Werciiul Providence "No no'
sy.n them Die senate. because II the hePuon''"'
had the Senate they could asciibe wha'e'er l"'"'o'
m,gbt come 10 Republican distraction.
g1rere IS good deal Of quiet fun at the Cap'oi IN
p.ubcan circles ove- the widely advertised visit OF
n.uocratic Senators to Ncw-York TO consult with Mr.
Cleveland and Mr. Whitney TO prevent the cohSunins-
tiou Of Rcpgblican fIauds IN the way OF Ste'1'nS
senators from the extreme Western states. IL "@S
remarked that the very able political sport>meh WHO
vsr. on that committee and especially my lneho from
Tho canyas-back state Of Maryland, were not in the
lstj Of hunting ducks with bass bands ard hnng on
the gns before they got in sight Of the game Inc
general idea is that oil this red fire. Roman candle
and manufactured thunder was TO conceal very
sb-ewa effort TO prevent if possible. Democratic e'h-
Rtors coming from the disputed states, WHO "ouu
give the Democracy the dreaded majority In 'he
senate: so that while shOnIanee artillery were aluc1
AZ the Capols OF Wyoming, Idaho and North Dakota
from The Brooklyn Bridge and city Han PARK 'h'y
were intended to arouse the Democratic hcU' "''o"'
the balls reaching the Western camp.
The peculiarly chaotic condition Of affairs, said
Nr Dcpcw has caused era Of extraordinary
GOOD feeling al Washington. The members oil the TWO
parties were never personally in such CORDIAL ana
friendly relations as they are today The whole at
mosphere Of The Capitol is charged with Sort OF
yearnng for fraieniZation. Everybody wants 10 get
under somebody clse's umbrella and walk, arm In
arm. down the avenuc-the Republicans 10 keep out
OF the wet and tie D mocrat in fear he viii get in
it,
Regarding the business which carried him 10 Wash
ington, Mr.. Dcpew said:
! think the Interstate Commerce Committee, and
Senators and members generally, were very much sur
prised at the breakdown Of the Interstate Commerce
act and the curolsly opposite results from those in
tended which have followed its enactment The
massage of the law and the creation of the commission
PIT a stop, In great measure, TO railway agitation
In the country 50 the railway problems have not been
studied Us closely Is heretofore. II is probably the
only time when presidents, Tepres, ntng In their
delegated capacity, a committee. so many miles
Of railway and sl,b great number Of rail-
road Interests aud railway employees, have ever
appeared before either house. There certainly never
was such perfectly frank and plain interchange Of
views The railway companies have appeared always
before by ATTORNEYS with elaborate briefs and more
laboratc arguments but the discussion in this case
WIS exactly Ike a committee in the Board Of Trade
or III the Chamber Of Commerce. Tie facts were pre-
scented without attempt at ecquence padding, and in
formation WIS obtained BY the frcest kin Of question
ing and criticism
1t is not generally known that the decisions of the
United states supreme Court have taken the strength
and vitality out Of the Interstate Commerce act, nor
that The b having been passed 10 prevent discIimna-
lion. las it,ef caused more violent discrimination
taan eyer existed before that popular sentiment,
while struggling TO crystallze in some form OF
statute check upon the creation OF combinations
has IN the Interstate Commerce act, created
u fruitful breeder Of both. II this situation had been
thoroughly Understood the best legislative talent In the
oomtry would nave been active in hndlDs remedies.
Thai there should be % railway commits ion and
governmental supervision OF railways has passed the
period Of argument The country Is unanimous upon
that question rat having made u mistake in the
methods iy ch desirable aims We're sought to BE-
The Interests affected are so vast that
these methods should be Immediately reformed.
While the Intessia'e Commerce act originated in the
determination 10 prevent Determinations by railways
Ia favor of individual against another or one
locality against another, 1t ought at tie same time
to Keep alive and promote competition between the
railways In the management OF railroads these two
lings wholly Incompatible. II you nave violated
competition you will have violent Determinations.
What the community wants fixed and stable rates,
which shall BE- reasonable charges for the services
performed, and which shall BE- the same 10 everybody
who Is similarly situated. Tint Is the only BASIS
which the transportation busiuess ~ the country can
be conducted without p:Jdnciug disaster 10
lusnes~ and disaster 90 railway property.
Tho present Law prohibits discrimination
zach hne against It's own Customer. bui there are
light lines between New York and Chicago. and so
ar as he public COncerD-d they are practically
ne. strong rosf, for Instance, might DE- charging
certain rate %. hundred 10 al it, customers. Onc OF
What called the weaker lls"s, finding that
u tnc established late ii could not get share OF
be general traffic, would take some great shipper
md Go hs IN ness at 20 per cent the tailf. This
Irm OF corporation not OIy has Dy that process tie
cfag'ages oi is greater capita: and facilities. but
IS paying only thrcrlOuTths much for Tie
Ills pOra ion Of IT, merchandise. The,o concessions
nay De made openly in the rate In the form OF y
bymcnt for alleged terminal facilities for mileage
N tie cars owned rs grcet firm. The elects ho,y-
YER upon The business OF The country TIE
the DIS rminG alton lid taken place line /
.. 49, ~. - L. .. !