The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-31
A REASONABLE
RAILROAD LAW
Some History Which Led Up to Sea-
ator cullOm's Interstate
Commerce Act.
WHY NOT BE FAIR TO ALP
raallsh Railway cisaring House rlaa is the
Solution Of the rfoblsm--LeaaliIe
fools aad Enforce the LaN
Ia Every Case

The recent action OF Senator Chandler
In attempting to prevent tho oonsumma-
tlon Of tho proposed Trunk Line Pool. or
combination, for tho maintenance OF rates
and the government Of trafiic. and the
aubsoauent application OF the Interstate
commerce commission 20 the New YORK
courts 20 annul the trunk line agree
ment OF the twenty-one roads combined
for united protection against the evils OF
cut rates and trafiic wars, brings TO
mind the many attempts OF the granger
roads OF the West IN the early eiEhtys
60 accomplish tho same objects now
sought 10 be attained by the trunk lines,
The events referred 10 took place be-
fore Senator cuIlom. dlsgusted by the
failure OF the Grange movement In llll-
nols 10 md common ground on which
railroad managers and the people could
stand and where there should be no cut
fatoa and determinations. determined to
become the prophet 10 his people and
fired the bomb into the ranks Of the rail-
roads now known a. the Interstate COM
merca act The old southwestern pool
and the Iowa Trunk Limo Association
were in the rflory. They covered nll
lines leading southwest from Chicago
and 81 Louis. and all lines leading west
TO the Missouri river The Southwestern
Association was perhaps the most sue
cessfuI pool that ever existed Conducted
under Tho able managcm mt Of Chairman
J. w. Mldgioy Il annually saved many
thousands OF dollars 20 i:s members ana
handled many millions OF tons OF freight.
II was In the meetings OF the Iowa
Trunk Line Association. however, where
many exciting scenes took place and
where many able arguments were made
IN support OF tho views or charges OF
the representatives Of the different roads,
IN the comblnh w VI. Sage was then
In charge OF the freight traffic Of the Rock
Island. H. r. Mccullough was general
freight agent OF the Northwestern. NJ
Knight OF thc Wabash and = p Ripley
of tho Burlington ~ Y. NlnIng was
traffic manager OF the Union PRciiir with
which road all the others connected OF
Omaha. The travelling stock or freight
Agen, would come in or the llae ana
nuhmlt charges 10 his chief OF Irregular
tiles and secret rate cutting, on the part
oi some competitor The matter would
hc laid before the as ,ciatinn. meeting
called. lively war of warh srsue. ana
new agreement hc aiajr Scarcely was
shc ink dry upon Ie ,"'unient siEnel
hy the powers whom some new evidence
would be produced OF its being broken
within the twenty-four hours II was
after the Milwaukee completed It's new
Omaha line and entered the already
crowded field and the formation OF the
celebrated trinartite agreement that the
fun commenced.
Ripley, the Nestor Of them all. was
much worked up over the Inconsistencies
and failures OF his competitors He was
about ten years In advance OF his time.
fnr sighted. keen, intrepid IN his integ-
rity. Had his advice and suggestions
been carried out. the Interstate commerce
act, at least In lts present shane. would
never have seen the light of day lie saw
what was coming. all due from the folly
OF the roads themselves. and after much
labor and study evolved the scheme OF
gigantic railway clearing house, much
on the plan OF the system which has prov
ed so successful In England But the
officials OF the other roads. who were ap-
proached upon the subject we're afraid
OF tilt was too immense for them to
grasp or see a way to enforce its pro-
visions. There was no legal force TO
compel the roads to live up TO the agree
mont they could not trust each other ana
feared TO invoke the aid OF the law. In
stead they got what Mr. Ripley said they
wouid--something worse-the act OF con-
gress.
Any fair minded man must admit that
there are many wrongs committed by
traffic carriers and shippers. In the heat
OF compc Ion agents often commit acts
they would not think Of In n cooler mo-
ment and shippers. shopping around for
something better than tariff" have
often, by deliberate falsehoods as 10 rates
made by competing lines. started bitter
and disastrous rate wars What was to
De done--whRt is TO be doneP Railr~rc
companies nave rs much right to do a
prohtahle busln, ana have protection
IN II as the shipper and the farmer Com
hlnation and agreement Is the only known
method by which railroads can prevent
those terrible inroads upon earnings
brought about by unchecked competition,
Combination does not mean, necessarily,
an iniliction OF unjustly high rates upon
the public II should mean. and does in
most instances, mean n reduction in eN-
pense and the prevention OF rate cut
ting,
Why not give the railroads an equal
chance with the public. Leealize the pool
Ing OF rates which shall first be estab-
lished on basis fair to all and then
punish for devlations from rules. The In
terstate commerce commissions work. as
II stands today. In practically n farce
and the commission Is but another ex-
pensive statistical bureau Of the national
government Give II something to do.
that shall be of real benefit, and the
power to do 1t, or dissolve II entirely
national railway clearing house act
Ing under laws, Just alike to the roads
ana the people, conducted by men ex-
perienced In traffic and railway manage
ment, who are familiar with the problems
TO be met and adjusted, and one OF the
greatest factors in the nations prosper
ity would be set In operation. The courts
would not then be rivalling each other In
the. management of great properties
thrown into liquidation. and In their
eagerness to maintain inviolate technical
tiles OF jurisdiction would not divide them
into many parts, thus lessening the earn
Ing capacity of the whole, besides incur
ring the unnecessary and additional ex-
pense OF many receivers, general man.
ayers, and hosts OF attorneys. American
bonds and railway shares would have
value at home and would not be sent
back to us from foreign countries, brand
ed as worthless, We're railroads assured
steady earning capacity that could not
be shaken by the wind of every petty
freight agents ambition or the freaks
and dishonest methods of the heavy ship
pers.
The carrying business Is the basis OF
nearly all other lines of trade and COM
mprce Under nresenf conditions of .NoY,