The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-27

ming Do can but cause loss 90 the 0fher7-
and knowing this. what IS Us intentt Fln1-
Ing that - cannot purchase Us stock, IN
order that o. may control the Bay Line,
d. has seemingly proposed to RUN o.. nlt
without. perhaps. counting the cost
which can but run up into the millions.
ers- Experience al points ~ here the
southern controls natural connections
demonstrates that ~ b. should gain coa-
frol % the line 90 baltimore DO would deny
90 its competitors the equal facilities
which the BAY Line now offers TO the
southern and az others. Large Interests
iu the east have pied with the South
EN- against such policy, and bee
fore its line was put upon the bay. urg-
ms tEem not 20 Go 90. and can Do be that
tA-re are railroads. Independent rail-
roads. outside OF Southern influence.
wiling under such conditions 10 assist
"a corporation. eager 10 control the
south. by aiding them in their attack
upon the seaDoard. tell you the peO-
PIE VIII not have it, In the days 10
come. whatever you may think to-day.
they want and will insist upon their fun
rlEhts 70 competition. for which they
nave given rights Of way: their good
money. and 20 accomplish which they IN
times past have asked their legislatures
20 grant them charters
snail u De The withdrawal OF these
s-samers and The making OF satisfac-
tory through car arrangements. easily 20
De accomplished. and the saving OF rev
na
lines, or shall 20 De the disrupting OF an
rates through thousands Of miles Of terri
Tory anl the consequent loss TO it Of MILL
ions OF revenue. with more SPECIFY ueces-
SHY for the reorganization OF its Ohe
southern 50 system2 The problem is theirs
20 solve, not ours. We do not fear either
the problem or the Southern. Our cause is
JUST, ana sooner or later the right Will
prevail Very sincerely, T. ST. John,
Vice President and General Manager.
MT j. W. Thomas. Chairman Com
mittee Southern States Freight As
s0ciation
II viii be seen from Mr. st. Johns let
ter that he demanded the withdrawal Of
the S0uthern's line OF steamboats, from the
Chesapeake bay. thereby turning over its
business 20 his line and the making Of
what 70 him would be satisfactory through
car arrangements between New York and
New Orleans. lie intimated In his letter
very strongly that unless these conditions
We're compiled with he would undertake
TO further demOrallze rates causing loss
as ne expresses II, Of millions Of dollars to
al railroads in southern territory.
II was seen that 70 avoid this and 10 end
as speedily as possible what 10 seemed inn
possible 10 avert. a ruinOus rate war 81
was necessary Tor the associated railroads
10 reduce the rates 70 all points affected
by the SeabOard's cut. eighty per cent.
making u twenty per cent. of the establish
ed rate. That these rates viii destroy the
relative rates which have heretofore exist
ed between points IN the south IS evident
but as IL seemed war could not he averted
u was deemed best by an that Il should
be confined TO as narrow limits as posi-
bic. avoiding thereby as much loss as nos
sible. general cut Of the rates through
out the country seemed 10 be what the Sea-
board Air Line desired INJECTING as much
injury as possible upon all the railroads ln
the territory. while to meet this the asso-
ciated roads We're left the alternative of
accepting what Mr.. st. John desires to de-
moralize all rates. OrtO conflne the demon
alization TO as narrow limits as possible
II Is understood that the cOrrespOndence
between President Spencer OF the South
ern and President Hoffman OF the Sea-
board shows that President Spencer IN
dertook 10 do everything that was fair
and right to avoid any conflict with Me-
Seaboard Air Line railroad.
There Is no doubt that the rate war
question will get in to the courts sooner
or later Already rumors to that effect
are ahoat. il may be brought there by
communities which are put at a disad-
vantage because OF It or ii NAV be bv in
dividuals interested In some OF the prop
critics concerned. II this is done the as.
ISOLATED roads will undoubtedly take steps
70 show w the whole matter in its true
Light and the object OF attack VIII no
doubt be the Seabcard Air Line, with
which the whole trouble appears 10 have
originated. The cut Of so per cent made
by the associated roads could not be nun
into eject earlier than Aug. J. as Il viii
take some time to prepare the numerous
changes in the tariff sheets that will be
necessary because of a. But Il Is no bluff
as seems 10 have been stated by the Sea-
board people. 1t is understood that the
resolution providing for Il was introduced
by very conservative member Of the
association, a representative OF one OF
the Seaboards strongest connections. anfs
that its passage was unanimous by The
executive board What the outcome VIII
be only time and the course Of evenrs
VIII tel. such conflict as this between
vast systems Of transportation lines IN
wolves numerous complications, each or
which Will take its own course. as re-
lated TO the whole. ana each Of which
must be provided for TO the best interests
OF the properties at stake and the com
munities which they serve.
The Southern States Passenger Associa-
ton, II Is understood, has taken no ac-
tion as yet with regard to the Seaboard' s
cut in passenger rates. though the mat
ter Will. no doubt, be given due considera-
tion within a short time