Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-06

WASHINGTON, II. - Stp'eih"N' o.
1t is understood here that be-
Gore very long the rate-war between the
e.,toord Airline and the Southern
rsnvav will be passed upon by the In
,erstate Commerce Commission. and that
.,. decision of that body on the points
involved viii be carried to the Supreme
-orrt OF the United states for final ad-
,r5icauon. II IS contended by the Sea-
,,,r5 Airline that the recently-fled
.-h.1uis of tho Southern Is in direct vio-
l.tion OF the '1ong-and-short-haul clause
NJ the interstate commerce law, which
rr1h.hits discrimination IN rates between
Intermediate points The Seaboard's cut
ts between Baltimore and Washington,
and Norfolk. Richmond. and Atlanta, in
,I.5Inc land and water routes. and this
has been met by a similar cut by the
Southern. The Seaboard. however. claims
tbat the Southern should reduce rates,
both passenger and freight, 70 all points
ON lts lines. though the territory COW
cred by the Seaboard IS only a small por-
ton Of that covered by the Southern.
wIUMIA ANH lhAAtA At NOAliiAAhA "
do this IL would involve a loss just as
many times as great as the length Of its
lines is 20 that Of the Seaboard. The
Southern contends that its action In re-
d1cirg rates between points not reached
ly tle SeabOdrd 10 a much less extent
than the rates between the points where
th. Saboard is a competitor Is nothing
but just and fair. This, the Seaboard
says. is "a violation of the '1ong-and-
sh0rt-haul' clause of the interstate com
melcc Jaw. and this Is mainly the point
that VIII be decided by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. and will be ul-
t.mateiy brought before the Supreme
Court
A LEGAL VIEW.
Regarding the right Of a stockholder
o. appeal 70 The courts for protection
o bis investment in a rate-cut war, like
the present one. man. who can speak
a-thoritatively from a legal point OF
view said:
Under the decision rendered by Judge
Smonton there is no doubt that a stock
holder I'm either the Southern or the Air
Line Company may appeal to the court
for It's Intervention 20 prevent the waste
Of invested capital. Judge Simont0n
simply decided the point of jurisdiction
and not the merits Of the case. In his
decision he plainly intimated that II the
right parties had been made parties 10
the suit the power Of the court was ample
to prevent a ruinous rate war. one Of the
reasons being that the struggle was for
the purpose Of preventing a healthy
and lawful competition by the greater
absorbing the lesser, or the stronger alb
scrb.lg the weaker competitive COM
H.rH In CT hold kr.
is satisfied that tho rare war is depre-
Cating the value Of his invested capital
would have a standing in court should
le desire 20 restrain the companies froH
depreciating his property. and that the
reduction OF rates has deprecated the
values OF the stock no one that l have
met questions. II any one desires TO test
-hs let him take a block OF the stock
o. either the Airline or the Southern
Company and see II be can obtain as
much on II as collateral. or by sale, as
DE could July 1st J think that some one
VIII act IN this line before the trouble Is
long continued"
GoLD-BUG SHIP-BUILDING MOVE.
Some Of the gold-bugs in the Navy
Department and the northern newspaper
organs are giving Il out that the leading
slip-builders Of the country wish the
time for bidding on the three big battle
ships and dozen tOrpedo-boats authorized
at the last session Of Congress be post
Ionod until after the November election.
This IS 20 create the impression that II
Bryan and Sewall are elected there will
De- such "a change from the gold standard
as would warrant the ship-building firms
ia making considerable changes I'm their
BIDS They viii not be gratifed In this
particular. however According to the
government Specifications (and the law
also Is mandatory bids for the three
batt'eships and the hiRh-speed torpedo
boats will Doe opened on Monday. the 18th
Instant bat no award will be made
until the return OF Secretary Herbert,
which viii not be sooner than the 1st OF
October 80 the earliest.
lt is said that the Newport News Com
rnv the Cramps. and the Union Iron
Works. and others have Joined in the re-
c.. 10 postpone the time for making
tre bids until after the November cleo
ton. The first-named firm has already
two lrt-class battleships under con-
fflct.0n. and the Cramps one. while
other irms also have t0rpedo-bOats and
other vessels under government contracts.
il tho November election makes any
material change IN the finances Of the
country the present contracts viii be as
much affected as would those they wish
% enter into by bidding on the three
bauieships and the torpedo-boats.
The amount involved IN the contracts
20 be- awarded on the new vessels Is
upward OF fourteen millions. and 70 Is safe
90 predict that an OF the leading firms
OF the country viii bid on them. and that
their money win be forthcoming according
20 contract al well under Bryan and
SewaN as would be the case under Nc
kIuley and Hobart.
To SIS hoped that the Newport News
Company VIII secure the building OF an
other battleship and some OF tho tor
J bobcats. and that It viii eventually
become the greatest ship-buildins firm Of
the country
10 should be mentioned that no uneasi-
ness has been exhibited in regard 10
The November election and the finances
hy The river and harDor contractors or
those who expect 20 get some Of the
1000 authorized by Congress for
coast defences
POLITICAL SITUATION.
Among the cal-Srs az Democratic head
quarters today was Representative
Ado,ph Never. Of Louisiana. who leaves
Pr nome today 10 begu MS campaign.
lr Meyer said thcre was certainty
taJ Louisians's electoral vote would be
for Bryan. lie never heard any one who
knew LOuisiana's politics doubt that Also
that there was only one congressional
district about which any doubt was ex-
pressed. ana the general opinion was that
the Democrats would send a solid delega-
ton TO the next House.
Hon. Robert II. Kern. the Democratic
romlnee for Congress IN the Twelfth
l5t Louis Missouri District. called at
hoadquartcrs to-day on his way home