The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-18
WHAT Will Be DONE?
A Very Interesting Question Now Be-
fore the Public.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE Ac1
As Opposed to Association ior the Aaints-
nanre Of Katss--Asioria SoOa kiIl Ie
Intefested 10 Traffic Rates.

70 an Astflan representative yesterday
prominent banker stated that u was
about time oregon At large, ana Astoria
IN particular, began 10 think about the
solution OF the great railroad problem OF
tho day. Congress has for a number OF
years attempted TO control interstate tfhf.
Nc Al know that tho interstate com.
morce act has very nearly proven farce
20 far as the results attained are con-
cernd.
"As far a. Astoria Is concerned. she will
soon be thr terminus Of n number OF
transeontInonial railroads. and the quea-
ton or the profitable operation OF these
lines will be paramount one not cnly
TO this city. but to oregon and we can
we'll anord TO study the subject In i,s
various details"
EXPERIMENTS
We're tried before the interstate COM
mrrcc acts were passed. and those who
are familiar with trafic history. recollcct
the failures Of tho old Iowa TrunK Line
Association tripartlte agreement Of the
Missouri river railroads and the Union
Pacific Railroad. the Eastern Trunk Line
pool and the various passenger associR.
lions Their object was the maintenance
Of fair rates. and their failures resulted
from the lack OF authority TO enforce
their rules and tariffs Many errors and
Irregularities. as well as oyer-charLcs and
inequalities In rates. prevailed under
these various associations,
THE REMED.
Was thought 10 have been found when
Senator Colon. OF Illinois. introduced
his famous Interstate Commerce Act
but practical experience under thar act
has proven that IL could not meet the
requirements Of the situation. because
there was no real power TO enforce all
OF rs provisions. and because the prin-
clpal aim was at the railroads TO prevent
discrimination against the public. while
providing no means for the protection OF
tho railroad IN its revenue earning ca
pacity. Railroads must earn a fair llv-
inE. or go 10 pieces. They have a right
TO live. and should have some legal pro-
lection. The only way that rates can be
maintained IL by mutual agreement ana
combination, The last combination OF
this kind is the one recently formed in
New York by the presidents OF the thirty
one Eastern trunk lines. Their position
is attacked by the courts In New York,
hf'f 'h' A'NNNANk HtAAtlhsAA AflNANhH VA
tho last Railway Age give something OF
an idea OF the position taken by the au-
thorities:
rs THE AGREEMENT ILLEGAL7
The expected attack upon the Joint
TTaiiic association suggested BY the inter
state commerce commission was inaugu-
rated on January y, when the United
States district attorney nlod bill in the
sHN Nt. -.
thlrty-two railway companies forming
tho association 10 cni0in them fromac ting
under the agreement. Notice was also
given that on the i7th an injunction
would he asked restraining the association
from operating under its agreement, The
bill charges that the agreement between
this companies Is intended to combine
or pool all combination In traffic within
It's scope and that Il covers all through
traiilc OF the gr,sit trunk lincs-which com
prises large part OF the inter state
railroad traihc OF the United States. This
agreement II Is alleged, is unlawful In
that IL establishes net only traffic pool
but likewise a pool OF earnings. In vio-
lation OF Section OF the interstate COM
merce act, and that II Is a contractor
In restraint OF Interstate
trade and commerce, and unlawful under
the antitrust act OF July 2, 1870, known
as the Sherman antitrust act. In general
the agreement ~ characterized as an ''un-
lawful contract. agreement, combination,
and conspiracy" TO do away with COM
petition In the freight and passenger traf-
hc OF the defendant corporations, and the
immediate injunction Is asked ON the
ground that the railroad companies are
now preparing to put into operation that
agreement
This formal assertion OF lllegality Is
necessary TO bring the question into
court. bus Il proves nothing. and II II
very doubtful whether either the prose-
cutting Attorney or the Interstate COM
merce commission believes H. The de-
liborate opinion OF the counsel OF all the
companies that have signed the agree
ment Is that It Is legal and In every way
consistent with public interest and there
Is reason for believing that the courts
win 20 hold, But II is well to have the
question settled at the outset, and mean
time II the injunction should be granted,
" hch at this writing IL no assured. the
work OF the association will probably be
confined to maintaining rates. which GER
talnly Is not unlawful. A meeting of the
beard OF control, consisting Of the presi-
dents, will be held next week TO consider
the situation.
The concensus OF opinion Is, that con-
gress should legalize the pooling of rates.
frame law, as an adjunct to the inter-
state act, to enforce pool agreements, and
let the whole be supervised by the cont
mission, This would then give the rail-
roads fair chance for life and insure
the public protection. England with Its
'r9Cnihcent clearing house. has solved
the problem. much on these same lines,
and the entire subject Is well worthy
the careful study OF state and national
representatives, as well as the people OF
large.