The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-28
SUICIDE" SAYS ST. JOHN.
THE S. A. L. WILL NOT MEET THE
80 PER CENT. GUT.
Can Rates Ever Be Restored TO the Old
Figures Commercial Travel
ers to Take Hand.

Can Rates Ever Be Restored to the Old
Figures Commercial Travel
ers to Take Hand.
Il do not believe railroad rates in the
South will ever go back to the old fig
ures, even after the rate war is ended"
said District Agent r. C. Stanard, OF
the Norfolk and Western; sit is very
easy to cut down the rates, but the
hardest thing in the world to raise
them. There is no telling where TINS
rate war will stop, for the eighty per
cent. cut means that every ROAD is
TO be run at a great loss, and the roads
cannot stand it forever. The only way
IN stop these things is TO stop them
at once. If the rate war continues long
salaries are bound to be reduced, and
the employees win suffer. Salaries
of railroad men are low enough now,
but the roads will be likely to cut them
to reduce the expenses"
Railroad men generally seem to lay
all the trouble to VicePresident st.
John, of the Seaboard Airline. THE
rates in the South had always been the
most stable in the country until he
came down here" said one of them yes
day. land ever since he has been
here things have been kept in stir.
/ have talked with Mr. St. John since
this rate war began, and he seems to
be perfectly confident that the Sea-
board will win. They are playing
against tremendous odds, but ST. John
seems to think he has winning card
''We will not meet the eighty per
cent. cut of the Southern States
Freight Association" says Vice-Presi-
dent ST. John, of the S. A. L. He said
this after a conference with President
r. C. Hoffman. However the present
tariff. SO 1-3 per cent. reduction, will
be modified. S. A. L. people claim that
the so per cent. cut will play havoc
with the Southern. Mr.. st. John said:
1T has often occurred in the past, in
times of war, that the very policy sug-
gested has proved q very effective one,
and the Southern seemingly needs to
pass through this experience. Some
times it works better this way than
the other, because instead of consum-
ing a great deal of time in the effort
to accomplish the same results one of
the parties to the conflict steps in sud
denly and commits hari-kari, or sui
eide, and the other party is simply obi
ged to witness the final interment."
The Southern officials are not talk
ing for publication. Our eighty per
cent. cut is doing enough talking for
u.s." one said.
General Passenger Agent Turk, who
has been here, seemed confident that
the Southern would win, and he added
significantly, 1T may make some
roads I know mighty sick"
No cut in passenger rates is yet an
nounced by the Southern, and on this
class of business the Seaboard is hav-
ing great run.
Commercial travellers are preparing
to secure some advantages from the
war. At a special meeting of the Mary
land Division, resolution was adop-
ted stating that as the railroads to
the north and west of Baltimore sell
mileage books at uniform rate OF
cents a mile, now is an opportune time
to demand the same rates from the
Southern systems. 1t was decided that
the members of the Travellers Protec-
tive Association should throw their
influence both as to the passenger and
freight traffic to the system that puts
on sale mileage books at uniform rates
of cents a mile and allows greatest
concession in the way of excess bag
gage.
The North Carolina Railroad Com
mission is holding off for the present,
but the Georgia Commission is taking
a hand in the affair and threatens to
force a reduction in the local rate In
that State. The N G. Commission will
not interfere until the long haul and
short haul rule appears to be violated.