Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-07
rate from New York. Philadelphia and Bal
timore to Richmond.
The PennsNlNanin Way BE Brought In.


| The last-named city is the only point in
| the south reached directly by the Pennsyl-
vania, and it has not made any reduction
! of rates between Baltimore ashipgton and
| Richmond it seems TO be not at all improb-
4 able that the Seaboard Air Line officials
/ will also charge its officials with violating
| the interstate commerce Law, and fight the
| latter as well as the Southern.
President Hoffman, Vice President st.
John and other general officials of the Sea-
! beard AIR Line held a lengthy conference
| Saturday at the offices of the company in
Baltimore. and at its conclusion all except
MT HOFFMAN, whose home is in Baltimore,
went to Portsmouth. Va.
1t was reported in Baltimore last even
ing that the conference was for the pur
pose of seeking the aid of the law in COM
pelling tie Southern to comply with the
interstate commerce law. but President
Hoffman said it was more than likely
that the interstate commerce commission
would give decision to the points
raised before them by the Seaboard as to
the long and short haul clause of the law
and as to whether the Southern mas not
already violated this ir its published tar
ifs, and until this was DONE unless il
should be delayed so long that the Soath-
ern would take aggressive steps in the
cutting, the Seaboard would allow the
Que stion to remain in abeyance.
1t can be stated on the highest authority
that the companies composing the South
ern States Freight Association have re-
I
Air Line, so that the shippers of freight
are likely to have their commodities trans
ported very cheaply for the next few
weeks, at least
This rate war will undoubtedly give
decided impetus to freight traffic in the
south, but WILL it is believed, seriously
affect the revenues Of some OF the com
panies involved.
Commissioner Haines of the Southern
States Freight Association is quoted as
saying that he thinks the associated rail-
way lines should he permitted by the
courts to take a hand in the whole matter
and end the war by one slash which could
not possibly be met by the Seaboarl and
its allies
What Judge Simont0n Said.
In view CT the position assumed by Com
missioner Haines. who is the official
mouttpiece Of the Southern and other rail-
ways composing the Southern States
Freight Association, an extract from the
now famous decision of Judge Simonlon
| in the Southern-Seaboard injunction pro-
ceedings is CT much interest. The words
of the judge were as follows:
1.-The destructive results of a rate war
waged between two great systems of rail-
roads are recognized and deprecated by
men of the greatest ahility-wno have con-
sidered the subject They impair and de-
stroy the usefulness of the railroads them
selves, and their ability to serve the pub
lie with certainty, efficiency and safety.
The business interests of the community
which move the crops and bring supplies
to the consumer require that rates be
stable. Every precaut.on has been taken
by state legislatures and by Congress TO
keep them Just and reasonable for the pub
lie and for the carriers. A few favored
points and few persons may for short
time receive temporary advantage but the
result of such war is the destruction of
values, the disturbance of all business in
terests, the Generalization and confusion
Of rates and great public and private loss.
las Judge Cooley has said, the prevention
OF these rate wars and the disastrous con-
sequences resulting from them is the prob
lem or the age. Whether the powers of
courts of equity, state, as we'll as federal
are elastic enough to grapple with the evil:
whether the primary trust, the public good
on which railroads hold their property is
enc which can be enforced in The courts:
whether the federal courts are able to
meet and defeat measures which obstruct
and tend to destroy interstate commerce.
are questions which sooner or later must
be heard and determined.
1T goes without saying that court can
not fix rates, that it cannot interfere in |
any reduction of rates brought about in |
legitimate competition; that if a carrier |
with the purpose of bringing business to |
itself shall reduce and adopt rates for a |
time not remunerative, but with a view
to the accumulation of business. so that it
VIII in time become remunerative, or in
deed, shall adopt any other reduction which
1t Fray think of advantage to its business.
no court could interfere.
1T is only when sucn reduction is made
regardless of its own interests with a view
to destroy and defeat its adversary and
crush cut competition: when it is waged as
all wars are waged, for destruction; when
the great powers granted to 1t by the pub
lie for the public good are diverted from
these purposes. and are used to pratifv
personal animosity against a rival to the
wrong and injury of the public that courts
IL they can interfere at all. may interfere"
WHEN THE SCALP Is ATROPHIED OR SHINY
bald, no preparation will restore the hair. i'm al,