The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-10-18
Trunk Line Presidents Playing
a Waiting Game.
roATreMPT TO SECURE AN ACT
CanCelling the Anti-POcling Clause
of the Interstate Commerce Act
and Then Put Their Agree
ment in Force.


Tribune says in the following that the
raf,rcads, AIS wei as Senator Chandler,
of New Hamplih3re, are becoming alarm
ed about the proposed trunk line trust.
According to the dispatches the trunk
Tine pde5ldents' meeting neld in New York
Thursday managed TO get the new traffic
agreement, submitted by the special COM
mlttee OF ten, in such shape as to re-
ceive the unanimous approval of the rep
resentatiVeS of aLl the railroads interested
and yet the agreement was referred back
to the special committee OF ten for prop
er Arrangement, to be submitted to THE
presidents again at a future meeting.
The question is asked why the agree
ment, If 1t re eived the approval of all
the roads concerned, was subjected to
further delay by being referred back
again to the special committee. The
opinion is that The railroads do not in
tend to putt THE agreement into effect just
yet. These reports as to l1e aims and
objects of the new combination are be-
iieved to be given out for the purpose
OF deceiving the public and to create the
impression that there is TO be no poUl
or any unlawful combination intended,
Yet a careful perusal of the pan as
finally adopted at Thursdays meeting
VIII clearly show that Notwithstanding
the elimination of everything suggesting
a pool and the deceiving claIsD that the
board of governors shall act in harmony
with the Interstate commission and en-
powering the board to offer suitable re-
wards for information that will lead to
the detection and punishment of any
violation of the intsrsta-e commerce law,
nothing more nor less than gigantic
tIp1c fn n AN
and-out pool would be, is to be created.
If the creation of a. board of control of
nine gndmlbers dntrusted with arbitrary
powers to make rates as high as they
pcelaSe, without redress on the part ct
any OF THE doad5, and THE depos!ting by
eaclI road into "a common treasury OF
$50, 900 clash and an additional amount of
per cent of it's gross earnings each
month, which money can be applied by
Lhe obard as 1t sees fit, and inflict fines
upon roads violating the agree,nent of
not more tEhan 5000 for each offense, is
not a trust, then the meaning Of what
! trust really lis, has been misunderstood |
" THE general public. The enormous fund |
Ihlus created us claimed to be FOR the |
and expenses of the new ais
IociaNtion A blind man can see millions
re not needed to defray the expenses of
he proposed organization, and 1t locks
Lecldedly Nlhat THE millions thus raised are
o be used TO make good to each road
he amount of earnings it Is considered or
1allmls 'tio he entTt'ed to. In other words,
weak, or roundabout lines which, with
ut cutting rates or the guarantee OF a
eIitalln amount of earnings or traffic,
WOULD NOT be able to compete with hte
trong and direct lfnes and would conse-
nod AnAfy1 n a Iva |
o be suIbslIlzed and THUS kept in line,
nd the enormous deposits to be made by
he roads evidently are to furnish tho
leans for tIhht purpose.
II the Eastern trunk Vines were realty
nNlous No Secure nothing but strict
of uniform hates they could
btain III by adopting am agreement which
ontains nothing else but one paragraph
lcked ON tIhe presidents agreement iast
'htutsdtly, and which provides:
The board of governors shall act In
armony with the interstate commerce
and the board is empowered
, offer suitable rewards for information
1at will lead Ito tine detection and pun
ihment of any violation OF the inter-
tate commerce law
Nothing else is necessary Ito secure the
brict maintenance of Rates But the rail-
Dads do not desire this. 1t Is safe to
ny they WIFI never attempt to convict
ny railroad official or any railroad COM
amy of violation Of the interstate COM
lerce daw. What they want is a pool
r TRUST whereby they can make the
ltes aft the traffic wifi bear and stfl
ave them a good margin of profit II they
houid find 1t necessary to give special
ates to favortite shippers and merchants.
The keynote of alarm recently sounded
y Senator Chandler, of New Hamp-
hire, regarding htis proposed railroad
rust has not only clarinet the public
ut the railroad magmates as we'll. But
or Senator Chand1sr's words OF warning
ne Trunk Line presidents agreement
Iouh have been put into effect before
ow They are holding II back and de-
lylng fnaG action, It Is believed, until
ongress is in session again. when they
dill make another strong effort to have
he anti-pooHng CLAUSE knocked out of
he Interstate commerce act, and attempt
, SHOW that n this Is not accomplished
1ey WIN be compelled 70 put their trust
lain In effect to save them from ruin
tion.