The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-07-30

commerce, which provides that: III
shall be unlawful for any common car
rier subject to the provisions OF this
act to make or give any undue or I'M
unreasonable preference or advant-
age to any particular person, COM
pany. firm. corporation or locality, or
any particular description of traffic, in
any respect whatsoever, or to subject
any particular person, company, firm,
corporation or locality, or any partlcu-
lar description of traffic, to any undue
or unreasonable prejudice or disadvan-
tage in any respect whateyer,' etc.
The influence Of the Southern has
been powerful enough thus far to pre-
vent arrangements for running a
through sleeper to and from New York
over our line, which the Southern en-
Joys. We have been three years trying
to secure this from our connections,
and expect yet to accomplish it, al
though at present it is UNLAWFULLY
denied us. We have been thwarted in
the same way and by the same lni1u-
| ences, in our efforts to secure through
car facilities for our passenger traffic
between Atlanta and New Orleans,
Notwithstanding the fact that the third
section Of the act to regulate COM
merce further provides as follows:
every common carrier subject to the
provisions of this act shall according
to their respective powers, afford all
reasonable, proper and equal facilities
for the interchange of traffic between
Their respective lines, and for the re-
ceiving. forwarding and delivering of
passengers and property to and from
their several lines and those conn Getting
| herewith" etc. AS the Seaboard
cannot be bought Of inundated, the
J policy of its competitor may be ex-
pected to contemplate our connections
with Northern cities, as was tried dur
ing the boycott oflast year in the South
and Southwest. Public opinion, how
ever. makes law, and laws against the
consolidation OF parallel lines Of rail-
roads have been enacted by many
Southern States, and the supreme
court of the United States has de-
clared these laws to be constitution.
Sooner or later these laws will be en-
forced.
The paralellny Of the Bay Line with
steamers Of its own, manifesty for no
other purpose than to reduce its hon
estly earned revenues and to cripple
its facilities as a carrier Of passengers
and merchandise, is to be deplOred.
Suppose it should succeed in driving
the Bay Liue from the Chesapeake.
To that extent it will dominate the sit
uation in Virginia, the CarOlinas and
in Georgia, through which the Sea board
runs, as it las in other sections Of the
South: The Seaboard, with no friendly
outlet North, could no longer act as a
free and independent line, and the pat
rons it has SO well served would be
compelled to accept such rates and eX-
actions as the Southern may see fit to
impose. The people appreciate that
such results would prove a public ca
lamity, and will undoubtedly stand by
the Seaboard and Bay Line in their
resistance to the possibilities Of any
such conditions.
Question why introduce the
passenger feature in the rate war in
stead Of limiting it to freight? Can you
give any idea as to the dur alton Of the
trouble?
Mr.. st. John. The reduction of pas
sengcr rates is a necessity ofthe situa-
ton and for the reason already given.
We are making efforts to maintain,
strengthen and increase, if possible,
the effectiveness Of our passenger SER
vice, as we'll as our freight business.
| We have right to through transport
! tation to points south, north, east and
west, and upon the same terms as ar e
! extended to other lines, and we shall
expect, if necessary, to enforce this
| right. AS to the duration of the strug-
| gle which the Southern has forced upon
us after every effort to maintain peace
and harmony have exhausted), it is i'm
possible to give an approximate or con-
| jectural idea. We expect it will be a
long one. 1t may last for months, pos
sibly for years. Great interests are at
stake-great questions are to be deci-
| ded; not for an hour, or day, but for
all times. Without provocation the
Southern has, against the earnest re-
| monstrances Of President Hoffman, de-
cllned to consider his protest. AS the
friend, coadjutor and ally of the Bay
Line, whose Interior destruction, if
| effected, involves also our own, we
have taken up the guage of battle and
| will continue it until the end. We do
not underrate the strength Of our adver-
sary, but we oppose to the MILLIONS
OF THEIR BANKERS the sturdy, un-
wavering loyalty Of the merchants,
shippers, farmers, manufacturers, the
producers and the ''plain people, of
Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Louis
lana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama,
Florida and all territory tributary to
| our line, all Of whom are as much in
terested and will be as vitality affected
by the outcome of this struggle as our
selves. The battles we are fighting
are theirs as we'll as our own, and
thrice favored we consider ourselves
to be because ''our cause is just" We
hope to secure the boon of free scope
and action in our dealings with pub
nc that we are striving for, and in so
doing to defeat the schemes of a corpo-
ration DESTROYS of bringing the entire
South under its exclusive control. With
popular sentiment and sympathy in
| our favor we must win. It will be a
sad day for the South if by any possible
chance it should ever find itself at the
mercy Of one corporation and subject
to It's undlsputed sway. We anticipate
no such results, for truth is mi hty
and will prevail.''
Under no circumstances will we
abandon our ship" and should the
result be different than that anticipa-
ted, which seems impossible, we will
60 down with drums beating and colors
flying.