The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-19

t'OT tDlGNG tilDI 10 ODDDSE II ~
simply to invite the statement that
such competitor Will cease to exist in
a very short term of years, and with
many lines the fear Of it causes dis
i'm lis favor and against
its competitor. entirely at variance
with the third section of the act TO
regulate commerce, which provides
that: 1T shall be unlawful for any
common carrier subject to the pro
visions of this act 10 make or give
any undue or unreasonable preference
or advantage to any particular per
son. company, firm, corporation or
locality. or any particular description
of traffic, in any respect whatsoever, or
to subject any particular person, com
panv, firm, corporation or locality, or
any particular description of traffic, TO
any undue or unreasonable prejudice
or disadvantage in any respect what
ever etc.
The influence of the Southern has
been powerful enough thus far to pre-
vent arrangements for running Il
through sleeper to and from New
York over our line. which the South
ern enjoys We have been three years
trying to secure this from our CON
nectious, and expect yet to accomplish
t, although at present it is unlaWfultY
denied us We have been thWarted IN
the same way and by the same m
fIueuces in our efforts to secure
through ear facilities for our paSsen-
ger traffic between Atlanta and New
Orleans, Notwithstanding the fact that
the third section of the act to regulate
commerce further provides as follows;
Eyer, common carrier subject TO the
provisions of this act shall according
TO their respective powers, afford an
reasonable. proper and equal facilities
for. the interchange of traffic between
their respective lines, and TOR the re-
ceiving. forwarding and deliver
ing of passengers and property TO
and from their several lines aud
those connecting Herewith" etc. AS
the Seaboard cannot be bought or IN
undated. the policy of its competl-
tor NAV reasonably be expected 10
contemplate our isolation by disrupt
inc our connections with Northern
cities. as was tried during the boy
colt of last year in the South and
| Southwest. Public opinion, however,
makes law, and laws against the con-
| solidation of parallel lines OF railroads
| have been enacted by many Southern
! States, and the Supreme court of the
! United States has declared these laws
to be constitutional Sooner or later
| these laws will be enforced.
The paralleling of the Bay Line with
! steamers of it's own, manifestly for no
other purpose than to reduce its hon
! estly earned revenues and to cripple
! it's facilities as carrier of passengers
and mercandise, is to be deplOred.
! Suppose it should succeed in driving
| the Bay Line from the Chesapeake. To
! that extent it will dominate the situa-
| ton in Virginia, the Carolinas and in
! Georgia, through which the Seaboard
! runs, as it has in other sections of the
| South. The Seaboard, with no friend
! Nv outlet North, could no longer act
! as a free and independent line, and
| the patrons it has so well served would
be compelled to accept such rates and
| exactions as the Southern may see fit
to impose. The people appreciate that
| such results would prove public
calamity. and will undoubtedly stand
by the Seaboard and Bay Line in their
resistance to the possibilities of any
such conditions.
Ouestion-But who introduced the
passenger feature in the rate war in
stead of limiting it to freight? Can
YOU give any idea as TO the duration
of the trouble?
Mr.. St. John-The reduction of pas
senger rates is a necessity of the sit
| uation and for the reason already CIV
en-. We are making efforts to main
tain, strengthen and increase, if pos
sible. the effectiveness of our passen-
ger service, as well as our freight bust
| ness. We have a right to through
transportation to points South, North
East and West, and upon the same
terms as are extended to other lines
! and we shall expect, if necessary, to
! enforce this right. As to the duration
of the struggle which the Southern
has forced upon us (after every effort
to maintain peace and harmony have
been exhausted it is impossible tc
give an approximate or cOniectural
idea. We expect it viii be a long one
/ Tt may last for months, possibly fO1
wears. Great interests are at stake
great questions are to be decided; not
for an hour, or a day, but for al
I times. Without prOvocatiOn the
Southern has, against the earnest re
monstrances of President Hoffman
i
the friend, coadiutor and ally of the
Bay Line, whose Interior destruction
If effected, involves also our own, We
have taken up the guage of battle anC
will continue it to the end. We dc
not underrate the strength of our adj
versary, but we oppose to the millions
of their bankers the sturdy, unwaver
ing loyalty of the merchants, shippers
farmers, manufacturers, the produc
ers and the "plain people" of Virginia
the Carolinas, Georgia, Louisiana
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Flor
ida and all territory tributary to Ou
line, all of whom are as much inter
ested and will be as vitality affected by
the outcome of this struggle as our
selves. The battles we are fighting
are theirs as well as our own, anC
thrice favored we consider ourselves tc
be because ''our cause is just" W.
hope to secure the boon OF free scope
and action in our dealings with a pub
lie that we are striving for, and il
so doing to defeat the schemes of {
, corporation DESTROYS of bringing the
entire South under it's exclusive con
troll With popular sentiment ant
sympathy in our favor we must win
= It will be n sad day for the South i
by any possible chance it should eve1
: find itself at the mercy of one corpor
, alton and subject to it's undisputeC
sway. We anticipate no such results
| for truth is mighty and will pre-
: vail"
, Under no circumstances will Wa
l o4,r- ebi - CbNT1H Al.