The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-10-14


ported the answer to the commodore and
his amazed associates he said The
only man of sense in the country Long
after all these men of vast cares and
acute worries were dead, my friend
then vigorous in the nineties, gleefully
recalled his investment in life rather than
wealth.
several years, and one day he suddenly
asked if he could retain me as attorney
and counsel. had been appointed and
confirmed United States minister to
Japan, Il position of power and promin-
ence because of the opening of that coun--
try to civilization. No future in politics.
he said: railroads the career for a
young man now. Don't be fool He
was seventy-two and l was thirty-two,
sonal relationship which. during the in
tervening thirty-one years, has continued
unbroken and unclOuded through four
generations of his family.
1T was evident that the great and
growing product of the agricultural west
could neither find profitable market at
the seaboard nor be properly developed
so long as it was subject to the. tolls and
the whims of many connecting lines.
The commodore quickly decided and as
suddenly executed vast scheme of con-
solidation. The echoes of that contro-
yersy still resound. The people were
wild, first with panic. then rage. and then
Il determinat ton to check or destroy the
power from which such dire results We're
feared. The agitation threatened to rum
the commodore's fortune, but his move
ments We're too rapid for legislatures OF
courts. For many years the fiction of
concentrated wealth controlling congress
and courts and grinding the people under
the wheels of a remorseless juggernaut
cased the labors of the makers of political
platforms, formed ready copy for emer-
gent space in the newspapers, and hred
the imaginat ton and frcnzied thespeech OF
professional agitatOrs. The fact that the
great reduction in expenses enabled the
consolidated companies to furnish greater
facilities at large reductions in the rates
prevented hostile legislation eliminating
in the restoration of the old methods.
The ablcst and most eloquent of those
who denounced this alleged monopoly
preferred when travelling and not talk
ing, the continuous ride and lower fares
to the changes of cars. the checking ana
rechecking of baggage. the delays, an
noyanccs and expenses of an antique
mode of transportation which he tried to
make himself and others believe was one
of the safeguards of liberty. The ad-
vantages to the country from this COM
bination of similar interests were inca!.
culable The settlement and creation OF
the states in the western and north
western territories were dependent upon
cheap transportation. and the problem of
cheap transportation was solved by the
consolidation of continuing and connect
ing roads. The fear. the cutlery and the
happy results of this controversy demon
strated truth which l have often dis
covered both by observation and cN-
perence that most of our troubles, both
as states and as individuals, are about
things which never happen.
"rhe natural highway for the west TO
the Atlantic was by the great lakes. the
valley of the Mohawk. and the Hudson
river. With the completion of the Erie
canal and unbroken waterway existed be-
tween the east and the west, giving to
New York city the advantage of being
the port and depot of the internal traffic
of the country. Pennsylvania and Mary
land struggled to share in this growing
commerce by building railway lines over
the Allegheny mountains. The difficult
ties of the routes and the disadvantages
of the ports of Baltimore and Philadc-
pha compared with New York. compell-
ed these roads to carry traffic to those
cities at rates sufficiently below the
tariff to New YORK to secure a constantly
Increasing amount of the business. This
differential had been recognized and per-
mitted at 13 per cent less 20 Baltimore.
and 10 per cent less to Philadelphia than
to- New York. Commodore Vanderbilt
saw in this condition larger question
than the traffic of his roads. Thu, su-
premacy of the Empire State and its
metropolitan city was threatened. In
the near future the natural advantages
of New York would have hecn overcome
and its trade diverted The public au-
thorities and the people OF Baltimore and
Philadelphia vigorously and Loyalty made
common cause with their railroads. New
York. as always confident and serene.
was Indifferent. The subject was of suf-
ficient importance for the national gov
crnmcnt to act. rs settlement should
not have been in the hands of individuals
or corporations. bun galway DEVELOPMENT
had outstripped popular apprehension of
its powers or porilS. There was no CON
ception of any form of governmental SUI
pprvision or control
"Thc course of lie great east and
west lines was in the hands of three
men-C Commodore Vanderbilt. Thomas A..
Scott, president of the pcnnsylvania. and
John w. Garrett, president of the Balii-
more and Ohio The commodore de-
manded equal rates to all cities on the
Atlantic seahoard and put the decision
into effect The result was one of the
most destructive of railway wars. There
l., no greater fallacy than the nOpular
idea that railroad wars benefit the pub
lie. 1t is true that rates and fares 70
TO very low figures. but they are wildly
fluctuating figures. while stability and
publicity of charges are the life of legiti-
mate business. This war made fortunes
for those who could take advantage of
these daily changing prices for the car
rage of their products. and bankrupt"d
those who could not. 1t stimulated into
feverish and unhealthy activity few
towns ut competitive points. and dried mp
the industries and resources of number
less cities and villages on side lines or
locally isolated. 1t was felt in every
farmhouse and factory between CHICAGO
and st. Louis and the Atlantic ocean
1t demoralized Wnll street and impOvej-
ished investors. The cOmmodOre's losses
were immense. but he saw that un'ese
the percentages were reduced New YOr'
was doomed as the commercial and
financial center of the country. and New
Works chief railway. in which he hnd
invested fortune and reputation. would
lose ita nrincinal revenues. The victorv
was substantial and nermanent. and
twEptv years have justified the states
mnnship and wisdom of the policy.
'The changing views Of people towards
the concentration of great wealth in the
Individual or corporation or trust are the
mcst interesting of the evoutions caused
nv the increasing complexity of orr civil
lization and the ever-weakening touch.
acouaintance. nnd sympathy in crowded
ccmmunities. Tho disappearance If tho
roighhorliness of the old village and rural
~. 81 Ill al. ..1..