The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-25
&ABlARD'S struggle.
St, John in no Hurry to
Sheath His Sword.
WILL WHIP OR Be WHIPPED.
Says His Line Won't Be the Only
One to Go Bankrupt,
SCOTS At THE SOUTHERN,
The Association Gut Looked On
as a Bluff.

stoclSh oIders of the Associated Lines
May Go Into Court 20 Prevent the
Cut Rate From Going Into Effect.
II This Is Done the seaboard VIII
Set Up the Plea of an Illegal Com
blnatfon - Commissioner Tram
mers Attitude in the Trouble I'm
changed.
Atlanta, Ca, July 2L-Tho action Of the
executive board OF the Southern States
Freight Association yesterday in deciding
upon an 50 per cent. cut IN rates to meet
the cut Of the Seaboard Air Line is be-
lieved by many railroad and business men
to be a blum.
Vice President st. John OF the seaboard
himself declares the associated lines are
bluflng to scare the seaboard into COM
promise He said 80 when the action Of the
meeting was made known to him, adding
that II wouldn't work, however, for his
line proposed 10 stay In the fight until II
whips or Is whipped. II the seaboard goes
bankrupt In the rate war, he says II will
certainly carry down more OF the other
lines that are fighting It.
Ihe fact that tho cut Of the associated
lines Is not to take effect until Aug. Is
| one Of tho things that makes people think
/ II is a blum
There Is talk here Of the stockholders or
some Of the associated lines going into the
courts to prevent the operation Of cut
rates. Such a move, they say, would sim.
| ply mean the wrecklng OF the road by de-
/ priving them Of their revenue and hence
the talk Of appealing to tho courts. The
Seaboard would like this sort OF a move,
as It would probably bring traffic nssocia-
ton before the courts and tho fight
that has been repeatedly threatened 10
be made against It as an illegal com
bination would then be opened up.
! When Chairman l.. NJ Trnmmel Of the
state railroad commission returned from
Macon THIS morning he found the letter OF
| Vice President st. John Of the seaboard IN
reply to his notice That the state commits
sion would consider an order reducing To-
/ cal rates IN proportion with tho through
| rates under the cut rate tariff awaiting
\ him. Mr.. st. John had taken Chairman
/ Trammelps letter rs the excuse for making
/ 9. lengthy and sensational attack upon the
/ southern Railway Company This attack
/ Mr. st. John had printed here this morn
/ ing II Is said at advertising rates, the pub
! licatiOn being made before Col. Trammeil
| received the letter.
| Vice President ST. John charges that
| tho Southern Railway Company IL work.
! ing out plan to fnonopol,ze all the lines
/ Of the south, finally scooping in tho West
ern and Atlantic, Georgia's own road, at
/ its own price, by bottling It up on ali sides
! and making II drug on the market He
| charges that the Southern has ernnIo1re,d
! politicians TO control the Legislature, says
| that Il has already defeated some canii-
/ dates and says that Il aims at getting con
| troll OF the railroad commission, 40 that II
can regulate rates and has a candidafe
| for governor two years hence already in
| the field.
He claims that the seaboard * the only
! Independent line into Atlanta from the
east and states that he does not believe
| the commission VIII take the course
| threatened when the situation Is investi-
! gated, for he goes on 10 charge that the
| Southern has already acquired the East
! Tennessee, the Central Of Georgia, the
| Georgia, Southern and Florida. the Ma
/ con and Northern and controls the Ceor-
| gia and Alabama and West Point thus
! destroying competition between what used
| to be half a dozen competing lines
/ Chairman Trammell does NOT reear ri
Mr. ct. Johns letter as having any bear
! ing at ALL as a reply to the position which
| he took in his communication 10 him
| regarding the reduction Of local rates,
| and has written letter In answer 10 that
/ effect. 1T is no affair OF mine, or OF the
railroad commission, who whips this
I
/ concern IL that while they are cutting each
/ others Threats they shall not destroy tbe
| manufacturing enterprises Of Georgia
/ How this cut rate, which II is proposed
| shall 90 into effect on the first OF An
/ gust would affect the manufacturing in
| terests of Georgia may be better under
| stood BY giving some examples Take
| for instance class /. The ratio from Ba1
/ timore to Griffin Is S1.07 less the IN ner
/ cent. cut, which Is to 60 into effect on
/ the first This leaves a rate Of 21 cents
/ from Baltimore to Griffin. The rate from
/ Atlanta to Griffin In the same class is Al
/ cents which makes the ATLANTA manu-
/ fncturer pay IS cents more on every i'm
1 pounds on a shipment to Griffin than
1 would be paid on a shipment from Raiti-
| more to the same place. Take a shipment
from Baltimore TO Elberton on the sea-
| board AIR Line. The rate on class / from
| Baltimore to ElbcTton is $1O7 less Tho
/ 80 per cent, which makes a rate Of 2i
| cents to Elberton from Baltimore. THO
/ rate from Atlanta to Elberton on ira
1 same road, is 50 cents, making the A.
I lanta merchant pay a difference OF 32
cents IN favor of the Elberton merchant
These are only a few examples az the
many hundred cases that could be given
! showing the gross injustice that would
/ mission does not come to the relief of the
! people and reduce the local rate IN the
/ same proportion. I repeat that / care not
! how much the through rates be cut.
4 shall favor n reduction Of the locals IN
\ the same proportion, and upon this pro-
/ pose to take my stand"
The commission meets next Monday u
take the matter UP.