The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-31
The Patterson Pooling Bill.

Inc HttNIeFsOn roofing Bill.
Senator Foraker of Ohio, introduced
into the Senate yesterday the Patterson
pooling bill, it having been changed con-
siderably from what il was when it was
pending in the last congress. The in
PRODUCTION of this bill at this time would
seem to Indicate purpose on the part of
the railroads TO see what can he done to-
wards getting congress to pass it at this
session.
If congress could be convinced that q
pooling law would not be seriously Oh
jected to by the people, such law would
be passed in short order. but every con
gresham is afraid that his constituents
would be msled by demagogues as to the
character of the law. and that It would
be said that he favored trusts. There is
such a strong feeling of hostility to trusts
throughout the country-particularly
among those who know nothing about
trusts except that which they hear poll
ticians say against them-that it would
be an exceedingly difficult matter to get
a majority of either the House or the
Senate to vote for the bill.
parently that if the supreme court decis-
ion stands and the railroads are not per
mitted to pool their earnings, there viii
be disastrous rate wars. The suggestion
has been thrown out that the railroad
managers have it in their power to cut
rates or not as they please. One of the
papers which made the suggestion is
the New York Tribune, and it declared
that it saw nothing serious in the situa-
ton for the railroads-they could easily
maintain rates If they wished to do so.
In it's issue of Monday the Tribune chang
es its position somewhat. In fact, it vir-
tually acknowledges that it was rather
hasty in reaching the opinion it had pre-
viously expressed. 1t now says:
THE owners and managers of railway
property cannot afford to wait for the
remedial legislation which the supreme
court decision has rendered necessary.
They certainly cannot If what some of
them have been saying about the imm-
nence of rate wars and their ruinous ef-
fects upon the business of the country is
true.
mo matter what they may think
or how lawyers may differ as to its sound
ness or unsoundness, the supreme court
decision is final. 1t is law, and must be
so recognized. They must adapt them
selves 20 1t and conduct their business
in accordance with the Interpretation of
the court, The necessity for it's amend
ment or repeal seems obvious and urgent,
but modification or repeal takes time and
can only come by slow processes
In the course of it's argument the Tri-
bune says that banks act together for
their own protection, and asks why the
railroads cannot do the same thing. If
the Tribune were to study the railroad
situation carefully, it would see why
railroads are not in as good position as
the banks are to act in harmony and
protect their interests. The efforts of
the big shippers to break down rates are
persistent and ingenious, and there is no
doubt that they succeed in their purpose
to some extent even when the railroads
are bound together by the most solemn
agreements.
Eventually congress will enact a pooling
law, and a commission will have the pow
er to fix and maintain the rates. When
that is done we shall have fair and stable
rates. Then the big shippers like the su-
gar trust and the big packing companies
will not have any advantage over the
small shippers. The sooner congress pass
es such a law the better it will be for
the railroads and the people