The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-21
Chandler Asks Interstate Com
mission to Interfere.
HAVE RAILROADS ANY RleHTs9
The Difference Between Right and
Wrong Combines of Railroads
Equity Must Prevail.

soctated Press of the letter by the Hon.
VIM. e. Chandler, Of Concord, N. H., to
the Interstate Commerce Commission pro-
testing against the action of the presi-
de1Ids of trunk lime railways in New
York, who are seeking to effect an or
ganiz0tion for the purpose of preventing
the decentralization of traffic rates by the
under officials of the various lines, opens
the way to some interesting arguments,
bouh pro and con, upon the subject in
general of railroads and their relation to
the people.
The fight between shippers on the one
side, seeking cut rates from the raEroads
and an advantage over their own COM
petitors in trade, and the railroads upon
uhe other side in an endeavor to get
as much as possible for their services
and at the same time retain THE patron
age of large and influential shippers has
been going on in one form or another
ever since the multiplicity of tine rail-
roads has so largely Increased competi-
ti0n both among THE railroads and the
shippers. The competition amongst rail-
road agents in the large centers Of trade
has reached point of intensity, which
Is very largely augmented by the ship
pers themselves shopping from one rail-
line against the other often times eX
aggeralting the proposition of each in order
to benefit themselves. Under such stress
of circumstances the zeal Of railroad
agents ITO secure traffic frequently got
the better of their judgment as ITO earn
ings, consequently producing disaster to
the companies represented by them. In
all these transactions the small shipper
was more or less ignored from force OF
circums tances, and many of the large
shippers who afterward discovered that
some one else had secured better rates
Than themselves also Imagined they had
cause for complaint There was en-
gendered a two-fold feeling of hostiliGy
against the roads, while the farmer, who
could not get as good rates as the large
brokers or shipping firms and who was
taught in the public speeches of pot
house politicians that the railroads were
to blame for all the troubles and ills
incident to the farmers life, the small
profits upon his crops and the hard work
necessary for him to do in order ito pay
the interest and mortgage on his farm,
made another element of enmity against
the railroads. The politicians puTposely,
and tine FARMER lg'noranly, losing sight
of the fact; which has been thoroughly
demonstrated by history, that in all re-
ductions in rates upon farm products the
brokers and commission men who handle
the business reap the profits, while the
farmers earnings were not increased five
per cent. When rates are reduced from
the producing centers to trade centers
the man who buys the farmers products
simply pays to the farmer 'ahat much less
for his wares.
affnY,tc ruara .,1ada hv
farming communities and the small mer-
chants to pass legislation restricting rail-
roads in the matter of freight charges.
The history of the old Illinois, Iowa &
Missouri Grange associations, and later,
similar movements in Texas, Nebraska
and Wisconsin shows Ito what extreme an
an idea can run away with the best judg-
ment of the people. The railroads were
the means of populating the states men-
toned and building up their wonderful
prosperity and diverse industries, and yet
to such an extreme had the feeling
reached against these roads that legis-
lation was had which almost succeeded
In wiping many of them out of existence.
Railroads, by virtue of the right of emin-
ent domain granted to them by the peo-
pie are ito a more or less degree servants
of the people, but on the other hand
in all justice and equity they are GER
tainly entitled to live and make a fair
profit upon the millions of capital in
vested dn the business. Private capital
is entirely inadequate to conduct the
business carried on by these corporations,
and without the assistance of the COM
pick transportation now in existence in
the United States the business of the
country could not be carried ON. 1t is
therefore a self-evident propo1' ION that
the railroads have rights witch are as
much entitled 10 pro. c',on under the law
as are the rights of the people. No class
Of men more thoroughly understand that
the people at large should have an equal
rate of transportation with others in
their line of business, so far as the differ
ent conditions of geographical locationand
complex business interests win permit
than railroad officials themselves. They
also admit that under present cUnditl ons
owing to the unscupUlousness of some Of |
the shippers as well as of the over zeal
of some agents, this is hard problem to |
solve, and that some legislation is nee s.
sary for the protection of both inter- |
eSts.
The evolution of the interstate COM |
merce act enacted by congress in 1887, |
through the efforts of Senator Cullom |
of Illinois, in behalf Of the granger ele- |
ment of that state, WAS a one-sided |
effort to protect the people regardless |
Of the interests and rights of the mil
roads, and made no provision by whl,h |
the railroads might protect themselves |
from unjust competition. The partial /
failure of the Interstate Commerce act /
Is familiar to all and the railroads today
find themselves either in a state of |
absolute bankruptcy or doing business at 4
figures below a profit. A number of |
efforts have been made to pass an amend
ment to the interstate Commerce act,
legalizing the pooling of business under
rates and regulations imposed by the
Interstate commission. This would. give
both the roads and the people a fairl
chance for existence.
The action of the trunk line presidents
in New York city, referred to in the
letter of the Right Honorable Mr.. Chand-
Ter mentioned at the head of this article
Is an effort upon the part of the railroads
to overcome the tremendous demoraliza-
tion of rates between the east and the
west which has been current during the
entire year of 1895, as all know who
have kept themselves posetd upon these
matters. The condition Of commerce be-
tween Chicago and New York is a most
peculiar one. With ten OF dozen lines
Of railroad competing for the business,
aad with lake competition on the north OF
them, and added to this the competition
OF Canadian railroads which are not sub
ject 20 the laws Of the United States.
the b4tIe on the part Of the American
roads has blen a severe and most ex-
peusive one Earnings have been re-
1uced below the cost Of doing business