The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-22
THES. A. L. MI THDRAWS
From the Southern States Freight AssOCia-
ton on Account Of Delay in Completion.
ARBITRATION BOARD UNSATISFACTORY.
The Association Incomplete for tho
Accom- plishmcnt of Work Better
mination Evinecd TO Force Upon
Minority LINES Unacceptable Con-
ditions Regrets Expressed.

nfhafi0n Evfnccd To Force Upon
Minority Lines Unacceptable Con-
dltions Regrets Expressed.
The Virginian stated yesterday that
the Seaboard Air Line had Withdrawn
from the Southern Passenger ASsocia-
account of not being able to see Mr.. st.
John ut that hour of the night. The
following letter will explain itself:
Seaboard Air Line,
Office of the Vice President.
Portsmouth, Dec. 90 1895.
Col. II. S. Eaines, Commissioner, At
lanta, Va:
Dear Sir:-The meeting of yesterday,
called to complete the uncompleted con-
tract for the organization of the South
crn States Freight Association. easily
demonstrates that its complete organi-
cation is likely not be to effected for
some time to come. If at all, unless it be
In accordance with the views OF certain
interests represented. who seem deter
mined tn force upon lines, whose votes
must most naturally under present con-
ditions be In the minority their own
views in everything, even though such
known to have been ohjectiona BILE to
the lines comprising the minority vote
In such organization.
The election Of three arbitrntops. pro-
Southern States Freight Association, is
made the positive duty of the lines who
agreed to The formation of such an
association, conditional that all articles
agreed upon should he made effective
when such organization was complet-
ed. Without this il becomes IL question
whether the organization in reality has
existence, It's contract having been, at
the last meeting held i'm New York
adopted as Il whole mot in parD. The
n for. flt.a Ion, i,,,,
the contract was proceeded with upon
the receipt by the meeting of the re-
port of the committee on nominations
which committee was elected Ivy the
representatives of the lines present and
engaged in the effort to form this new
association upon the basis stated, hut
as the election of officers proceeded and
the representatives of many lines were
desirous Of returning 10 their homes as
quickly as possible. the matter of the
election of arbitratorS was temporarily
postponed, it being stated, rs ! under,
stood. by one of the representatives
present, that as there was nothing to
arbitrate at that time. and would not
be Tor some time to come, the election
OF arbitrators could, without detriment
to the interests of the association, be
dispensed with until IL future meeting
ana an adjournment was had accord
inSly.
y long time has elapsed since that
meeting and the organization was pro-
ceeded with, hut there are many ques-
lions to-day which have been appealed
from the commissioners decisions which
need TO be arbitrated. and the assocla-
ton is Incomplete for the accomplish
ment of this work under the terms of
It's contract. Yesterday n committees of
I'VE was appointed to nominate arhItra-
tors Tor the association. The under
signed was q member of that commit &c
The other four representatives, not
WthStanuinG The fact that ii was known
that the old arbitratorS were objectiOna-
bic not only To our system, but also
TO other interests represented i'm the
meeting, insisted upon the nominal ion
of The old board to which we protested
and. when asked personally in the COM
mittec room If they had no other names
which they could suggest for arbitra-
tors. they frankly stated that they had
not, thus compelling Il majority and a
minority report The result of the vote
could not, of course, have been unani-
nous
Another committee was appointed and
returned with ii majority ana minority
report, and the result of the vote upon
inns committees report very naturally
was not unanimous. The determine
ton seemed 10 be to force upon certain
lines, who must always be In the minor
lily. conditions not acceptable. and find
ing that II was Impossible to elect Il
board under such circumstances. q
nasty motion was made to adjourn.
winch received Il very small number
OF votes in the Affirmative. with only
one in the negative, many, with evident
disgust that such a motion was made,
not caring To vote, and the work which
not few members came hundreds OF
miles to cndeavor to perfect is yet in
complete
In view OF this action. and the evil
dent intention of certain representatives
not to deal fairly with interests with
which they are not allied we hereby
Ia OF