St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-15
ADVOCATED POOLING.
Prominent RailrOaders Favor
an Amendment TO the
Interstate Law.
In Their Jud gment the Law
Had Not Benefited the
Public.
Mr.. Depew Says It's Effects
Have Been to Promote
Trusts.
Senator Mcmillan Introduces
a Bill to Allow Roads to
to Pool.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA number OF
prominent railroad men, including
Chauncey NJ. DepeW and President
Roberts, of the Pennsylvania system,
were before the. senate committee OH
interstate commerce this morning to adj
v0cate the passage of the amendment to
the interstate commerce law introduced
by request by Mr.. CuIlom, to modify the
existing law so as to authorize railroad
companies to form pools under the
supervision of the interstate commerce
commission, to wipe out the penal
clause of the punishment prescribed.
etc. The full committee was present
and speeches were made by Mr.. Depew,
Mr.. Roberts. MI Walker and Mir. III
gals.
President Roberts, of the Pennsyl-
yania road. said that, in his Judgment,
the interstate commerce law had not
operated for the benefit of the public III
the matter of preventing discrimination.
He said in the course of his remarks
that he wanted to impress on the COM
mittee the fact that the law, as now
drawn, preclIdes railway companies
from making arrangements i'll reference
to traffic agreements and induces rad
icai violations of the law by the com
panies and the Shippers as we'll. Inc
companies were not violating
The Filth Section
of the law Chat preventing pooling, but
in observing its provisions they were
violating some other section. MI. Rob
herts did not think the commission
should be allowed to regulate rates, be-
cause it was hot iii the interest or the
public that it should do so. Nor was the
pooling system the best; but 1t was bet
ter for the public than the practice now
existing. Mr.. Roberts was OF the opln-
ion that it was Of as much Importance
TO the public at large that the railway
companies should not be allowed to
charge too low rates, as it was that they
should be permitted TO charge rates that
were too high. Pooling might be au-
thoriZtd by congress, subject to cam
collation. by the commission II found to
be unjust.
Mir. Depew, president of the New
York Central, said the interstate COM
merce law had been established to pre-
Vent discrimination; but its effect had
been to promote trusts beyond any
thing that had ever been dreamed OF
There were eight roads between New
York and Chicago, but for all the pur-
poses of the public there was but one.
Ii an irUn-clad rule of equal rates, UNI
der equal conditions OF time, were eStab-
lished, the New York Central and the
Pennsylvania would do eight-tenths OF
the business.
The Other Roads
would go into bankruptcy, with all the
attendants of bankruptcy. In this way
the law preventing pooling was Great
ing trusts. If this law continued III
force five years longer, MIR. Depew
thought there would not be all indie
pendent business man in any of the
large cities Of the United States. 1t was
creating trusts, and this condition OF al
fairs was being brought about by the
miserable operations OF a law intended
to prevent them.
In response TO the query of MI. Gull
lom as 10 how the evil was to be cured.
MIR. Depcw said that under the pro-
posed amendment the roads would be
authorized to make contracts upon
business basis. and could agree upon
rates hIch would be always the same
to the public. The law would empower
the companies to enforce their agree
mentS and the public would be pro-
tected by putting the, matter
under the control of the com
mission In discussing the eX-
listing conditions, Mr. DepeW said
that it would soon be impossible for
manufacturers 10 exist except at terml-
nal points-a statement which caused
Mr.. brice to ask if he was TO DC under
stood as meaning that New York and
other cities of like character would be
favored to the discrimnationso OF such
places as Lima, Newark and other
places in Ohio which the Ohio senator
named. TO this Mi. Depew replied that
under the operation OF the present law
such places would cease to exist except
to be summer residences of United
| States senators.
FEEO Situations.
Mr., ingalls,, president of the Big -Four
| and Chesapeake d Ohio roads, said thai
two situations confronted the railways
of the country. If they went into com
petition unuer the law, the railroads
would become bankrupt, Or, i'll the end.
| be forced TO make combination which
would put them ali under one control
| and then the power to regulate then
| would Slip from the grasp OF the leglS-
lators. The general public now palt
the full rate, while the big dealers were
the ones who got the advantage of tn
rebate Under the existing law MI
ingalls, said the small dealers were be
ing driven out of business, to the grea
detriment of the whole country. 1t wa
for the interest of the whole countr.
that the railroads should prosper. Z
million men were employed in the bus
ness. and twice that number were ell
gagged in manufactures thai furniShe
railway supplies. 1t was. to the inter
est Of the railroads o enforce the law
and if the law, as the companies wer
now seeking TO Il ave it amended. ha
been in force, the principal competito
of the Chesapeake IL Ohio would hay
been bankrupt. 50 many eases OF vlols
ton had they made against it.
In conclus ion, MI. Ingalls, said that
had come to the point where the road
were compelled to get under the shade
IL