The representative., 1895-10-23

lesss. Each company may loudly pro-
clalm that it will obey this law and all
the presidents of all the companies may
get together on Mr.. J. Pierpont Morgan's
yacht. the Corsair, or anywhere else and
verbosely resolve that they will all obey
this law, and not accept from A and B
less than their published rates. Nobody
objects to their doing this Everybody
will praise them for doing this,
But what in the name of common rea-
sonlng has the argument that they should
be allowed thus to obey one law to do
with the claim that they shall be allowed
to disobey and defy another law? They
may lawfully combine and confederate
as much as they please to compel every
raod to adhere to its published rates to
all shippers. They cannot lawfully COM
Dlne and confederate to prohibit any
road from lowering its published rates
to all the world They may swear and
combine with each other that every road
shall charge A and the same rates that
are charged x and Y, for that is the law.
But they cannot conspire and contract
together that no road shall reduce its
rates to A and B. also to X and as we'll,
for that is an unlawful trust and COM
bination, and crime.
1t is not necessary to enable them to
another law. 1t is not necessary that
they should be able to prohibit every
road from ever lowering it's rates lawful
ly to everybody, in order to keep all the
roads from lowering them unlawfully to
favored few. 1t is not necessary that
they should combine to keep rates from
being ever lowered to and B, to X and
Y alike, in order that they may keep
them from being lowered in favor Of A
and B while they are kept up against x
and Y. 1t is not necessary that all COM
petition among railroads shall be de-
stroyed in order to prevent discrimiYa-
tion between individuals as to the rates
charged for the same or similar service.
The distinction | make ought to be
clear enough even to the comprehension
of Commissioner Knapp. Yet the rail-
roads continue to harp upon the same
string. 1--WE want to stop discrimina-
tions. We want to protect small ship
pers." "Well, why in the name of de-
cency do you not do this? Such discrim-
nations are crimes Agree and combine
to stop them and the whole national gov
ernment machinery will be at your serv-
ice to aid you to stop them" "Oh, but
we will not do this unless you will allow
us to abolish all railroad competition
whatever, and prevent any railroad from
lowering its rates to the general public
without the consent of all the other
roads," This is the whole case in a nut
she'll
The reason why one crime must be
committed in order to prevent another
crime has not yet been shown. Yet it is
touching to see and hear the solicitude
of the railroad managers for the small
shippers, "the men of small capital, the
firms of little means composed generally
of young men, whose friends believing in
their energy, enterprise and honesty.
have advanced the money that they may
go into business" Just see the fright
full competition they have to contend
with" every business will be in the
hands of a strong and consolidated Or
ganiZation which we call a trust 1t will
destroy all opportunity for Independent
energy of competition or for that rise of
young men which we have boasted has
been one of the great opportunities of
this country
What is the remedy proposed for this
sad case of the small-young-men ship
pers of merchandise, who the kind and
plying railroad managers say are so
much in danger of annihilation by trusts.
1t is to allow the wolves to eat the lambs
in order to protect them from being wor-
ried by an occasional dog Nine great
railroads from the West to the seaboard,
with $4,000, 100000 capitalization, are to
be permitted to consolidate their bust
ness to abolish competition by their
own agreement; to submit the rate max
ing power to nine governors; to enforce
their huge pooling contracts by clear
ing house and money penalties; and to
establish-in defiance of existing law Or
by virtue of new law the jurisdiction Of
oh, 4l,
are to attempt to make in the election
canvass of 1S96-the most stupendous
trust the world has ever seen!
Go to, Mr.. Chairman. This trust is not
to be created if you and President Cleve-
land can prevent it.
The facts of the trust, you unthink-
ingly said, you did not know. But At
torney-General Harmon and Commits
sion Knapp say they know all about it,
and that is good. Find out the facts
from them, and the clear vision Of your
self and the president will tell you that
it is evil. 1t is a violation of the anti
trust law as well as the anti-pOol law.
Neither law contemplates your waiting
till the crime is committed; both laws
provide for effectual preventative meas
ures. 1t is not yet consummated. Mr..
Morgan. the governor of the nine gov
eTNoIS, heSlIdteo' uouptleoS dIeduy lnIlu-
enced by gentle and judicious presiden-
tial remonstrance. The president and
yourself will not fail to crush this in
iquity in the bud. You are both famous
popular tribunes. Will you take the re-
spOnSibiity of fastening this S., ,0O0, ,OOO.-
600 yoke upon the necks of the people.
and yet appeal to them for support in
convention and at the polls in 1896?
Very respectfully,
W. E. CHANDLER.