The record-union., 1894-08-07

part of which produces a constitutional
disturbance which is felt to the remotest
corner Of every other part. The statistics
which represent the enormous preponder-
ance of the domestic over the foreign
markets available to the producers of this
country therefore clearly indicate the
wisdom of maintaining the policy OF de-
tending those protective conditions under
which our home markets have been so
enormously developed.
REASON AND EXPERIENCE
Unite in the conclusion that it is utterly
impossible to maintain simultaneously
the policy of defending American rates of
wages and the values which such wages
sustain and the policy Of recourse to for
eign values, maintained by the much
lower foreign rates OF wages. The very
apprehension Of the adoption OF policy
based upon recourse to foreign values has
caused disturbance OF vitaily important
commercial relationships unparalleled
i'll our history, and a reduction of values
and of wages extending TO every branch
of domestic enterprise by law as I'M
perious as that of water seeking lis level.
There is an abundance OF available sta
tistical data clearly illustrating the con-
ditions which govern our internal conf
merce and determine the course of its
development Such date is much more
valuable even than statistics which
merely lead to the knowledge of a grand
totality.
VALUE OF FIGURES.
As rule, subject 10 very few excep-
tions, the statistics collected for purely
business purposes are most valuable to
legislators both in solving problems and
in determining and adjusting the con-
flicting claims of rival interests. / refer
particularly to the statistics published by
boards OF trade, cham berS OF commerce,
commercial and industrial associations
aud railroad companies. The railroad
transportation statistics of chief value are
those relating to mileage, cost OF road
and equipment, tonnage carried, receipts,
expenditures and above all statistics in
regard 10 transportation charges. The
carriage Of passengers and OF mails are
important elements of commerce-So is
the transmission of telegraphic messages.
The public press of the country is also
potent agency OF commerce. Perhaps no
other agency has been more potential in
determining the course OF our CONNER
cial development. There is an abundant
supply of reliable data showing the pro-
gress of these various agencies OF COM
lnerce and their inIerdependent relation
ship.
THE OLD SYSTEM.
Men who have not yet passed the
meridian of life can remem Der when each
railroad company in this country was,
and strOve TO remain law unto itself.
The various companies repelled the
iuncture of their tracks They also re-
PEELED joint traffic OF every sort, lnclud-
ing joint freight charges and the common
use OF cars. Besides certain OF the more
powerful railroad corporations sought by
an extension of their lines to secure a
widely extended control of the commerce
OF the country, and thus to gain the power
of protecting their rates against the
COMPETITION OF RIVAL ROADS,
And against the competition of CONNER
cial forces. But all this proved to be in
vain. The commercial and economic
tendencies toward railroad unity,
embracing the juncture of tracks,
the common use of freight cars, and the
establishment of ten thousand interde-
pendent copartnership relations between
companies, was irresitible
The interaction of forces, thus pro-
NOTED and intensified, finally evolved
the most gigantic combination for COM
mercial purposes which the world has
ever seen-the American railroad system.
Almost from time immemorial a deep
seated prejudice had existed against COM
mercial combinations. This prejudice in
an especial manner directed against COM
binationS among common carriers was
rooted IN the belief that the inevitable
tendency of combination is toward mon
opoly, the suppression of competition
and the advancement of prices. At an
early day it was laid down as an incon-
trovertible dogma in railroad construc-
ton, that where combination Is possible,
competition is impossible. But that
dogma has been utterly exploded.
on rOMpTN ATTONS
That combinations among common
carriers on free highways OF commerce
were more or less subject to the obiec-
tions urged against combinations gener-
ally cannot be denied. And yet it is an
historical fact beyond question that COM
binations among railroads, which are not
and in the nature of things cannot become
free highways Of commerce, have been
promotive of competition; which has re-
suited in an enormous reduction of rates
and fares. This is no longer debatable
question. 1t is patent to the observation
of every person who has given even
slight attention to the evolution of the
American Railroad System-that most
gigantic and coercive of all combinations.
The competition thus evolved relates not
only to rival transportation lines but
chiefly to that subtle and all-pervading
competition which has been created
among rival trade centers and rival pro-
ductive areas. The results of this COM
pick and forceful competition are to-day
clearly read in unimpeachable statistics,
as follows:
WONDERFUL DECREASE IN RATES.
The average rate per ton per mile for
the transportation Of freights of all de-
scriptions on the lines of eighteen of the
principal railroad corporations of the
United States tell from 1885 cents per ton
per mile in 1878 to .799 of one cent per ton
per mile in 1892. In other words, the
average charge in 1873 was about two and
half times as great as the average charge
in 1892. These reductions were gradual.
They clearly indicate the stress of per-
sistent and enduring forces. This is IN
dicated by the following data showing
the average rate per ton per mile charged
on the railroads referred to, from tho year
1878 to the year 1892:
Average Rate Average Rate
Year Per Ion Peril Year. Per Ton Per
Mile. Mile.
1873. 1885 cents 1888. 1.186 cents
1874. 1.S69 cents 1884. 1.0S7 cents
GSG CENTS 1SSh 900 ppntc