The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-30
THERE WILL Be NO CLASH
President Cakes Talks About the
Railroad Situation in the
Northwest
Withdrawal Of the Great Northern
Compelled His Road to
Follow Suit.
There win BE ne Rate War Between the
Two Companies and NO Acknewl-
edged Combinations.

While stopping at Spokane ON his way Il
Portland President Cakes, of the Northern
Pacific. said that he understood she people
In the northwest have been very much In
serested IN the actions of the several rail
roads in Withdrawing from the Tronseonti-
Mental and Western Traffic associations
This series OF Withdrawals was started by
the Great Northern and was. in his opinion.
caused by the belief on the part of the man
ayers of that road that they could handle
their own business better unrestricted and
unincumbered by the regulations of any
association. In that respect tho Northern
Pacific is in much the same position. There
are only two interests to be considered, and
the Great Northern and Northern Pacific
will be able to agres upon all that ia neces-
sary for the protection Of their traffic with
put the interference of any organization
In which competing lines are interested.
Our two companies" MIR. Cakes said
'snever had any difficulty in arranging
agreements and living up to them, and the
experience we have had with the Western
Traffic association has been unsatisfactory
because of the cumbersome methods of the
commissioner and the hardness of their
decisions. The withdrawal of the Great
Northern compelled us to take similar ac-
tion, for it would have been suicidal for us
TO have remained under the restrictions.
when the other road was free to do az it
chose"
In answer to a question as to whether he
anticipated any difficulty between the
Great Northern and the Northern Pacific
in the matter of rates. he said:
when there is any prospect of any such
a clash the usual method among rail road
men is to get together and agree upon rates
to common points. This is what we have
lone for years. and we anticipate no diff
Guilty in reaching an agreement now. 1t is
useless to suppose that all of the rates as
they now exist will be left as they are.
There will be a number of changes. The
Pacific coast points cannot be provided for
until the completion of the Great Northern
10 the sound. Mr.. Hill may reduce the
rates. but I shall be very much surprised il
he does 40 without the consent OF the North
ern Pacific. Jast when any of his promised
reductions will be made l am unable TO
say. but when they are made you may ex-
pect an announcement from both roads
simultaneously.
.sThere will be no rate war, for neither of
the roads desire anything of that kind. and
citation does not signify that there will be
any trouble between the roads.
do not understand me to mean that
there will be sny acknowledged combina-
ton between the two roads, for we are not
entirely independent of other systems.
The Union Pacific reaches Portland and
by means of boats taps points on Puget
sound. If the Canadian Pacific carries out
it's avowed Intention of reducing rates
look for some Generalization; in fact, l
rather expect an experience similar to that
of eight or ten years ago, when the lines
were ut loggerheads and cut rates for
some time. This, if it occurs, will
be caused by the action of the
Canadian Pacific. Further than a redue-
ton of some of the rates to Spokane, l do
not think there will be the least friction
between the two northern lines for the pres
ens, as our relations are as agreeable as We
could desire.
mo. there are no changes to be made on
our line az the present time. The Central
Washington will not be extended beyond
Coulee City to the Columbia for some time,
if at ALL"
President Cakes denied all knowledge of
any dissatisfaction on the part of the fnan-
oial hackers of the Northern Pacific, as was
contained in the Associated press dis
patches Of several days ago. and said that
from a financial standpoint the road was
never in q more prosperous condition.