The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-21
THE RATE WAR.
Railroad Men Take Action A against
Canadian Paciffs Reductions.

Canadian Paciffs Reductions.
New York, Feb. l9-One of the main
topics of discussion among railroad men.
stock owners and Wall street men yester-
day was the report of the rate war be-
tween the Canadian Pacific, an English
subsidized road. and American lines run
ming through practically the same terri
tory TO the Pacific slope, and of the meet
ings held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Sat
urday by the agents of the steamship
lines and the representatives of many
railroads, to take steps to meet the re-
auctions made by the Canadian Pacific.
The Canadian Pacific is the British mill
tary highway that connects Vancouver,
the English Gibraltar on the Pacific coast.
with Halifax, the most strongly fortified
English seaport on the Atlantic coast.
The facilities at each end of the Cana
dian Pacific are such that 1t required
special arrangements to secure a share of
the transcontinental traffic. From the
outset the Canadian Pacific has received
many favors from the American lines,
which preferred to make concessions TO
promoting friction with their Canadian
began the Canadian Pacific made special
arrangements, and offered large induce
ments to secure the immigrant traffic to
points west of Chicago and ST. Paul.
These inducements, however. were only
given 10 immigrants who landed at Cam
adam ports. This discrimination against
the steamship lines which run TO ports of
the United States caused the directors of
the steamship lines TO Boston, New
York. Philadelphia and Baltimore to
make an appeal for help. The principal
lines west of Chicago responded to the
appeal, but the provisions of the inter
state commerce laws prevented their
meeting the sweeping reduction made by
the Canadian Pacific.
A representative of Western road
said yesterday:
1T appears that the attack Of the Can
adam Pacific Railway in Strengthening
passenger rates throughout the United
States was not only directed against the
American railway lines, but against the
revenues of the transatlantic steamship
Companies landing at American ports.
This is shown by the fact that the Can
adian Pacific's cut in immigrant rates on
business in Europe was confined TO
steamship lines landing at Canadian ports
and had il not been for the prompt ac-
of Chicago ST Louis and st. Paul in
guaranteeing protection to the steamship
lines landing at New York. Boston, Phil-
adelphia and Baltimore, those steamship
lines would have been forced out OF the
business entirely, for the reason that on
most of the traffic. especially 10 the fd-
cific coast territory, on which the Caii-
adam Pacific has cut the rates OF the
American rail lines more IMAM - per
cent. the amount of the reduction II met
by those steamship lines. wouiu nave a."
sorbed the entire earnings.
The steamship lines landing AT 'hlteo
States ports feel that this attack upot
,ban, by The Canadian Pacific was I'M
nrovoked and entirely without Iusuhca-
tiou and will undoubtedly nave lhe el'
feet of convincing them OF what some OF
their number have long claimed. namely
that the facilities which they nave oeeh
affording the Canadian Paclhc on trans
atlantic Immigrant business have not only
beon used to the delriment OF the Amer
lean railroad lines. but To the INJURY OF
the steamship lines as we'll 1t would
seem as IL the only course now open loi
Them is TO confine their interchange OF
immigrant transatlantic business TO the
American railroad lines. upon whose
friendship and support this emergency
has demonstrated they can fully depend
An application mas DeeN HisAut 10 'nt
Interstate Commerce Commission at
Washington for hearing. and 1t Is be
lieved il will be favorably received. with
the result that the representatives of the
Western lines will meet the commission
within a few days. Then an effort viii
be made to suspend the clauses of the
interstate commerce law that prevent
them from meeting the Canadian road!
cut and attack upon American roads.
IL was generally conceded among rail
road men yesterday that the Secretary OF
the sTreasury. Mr.. Gage, could SUSPEND
at his will the bonding privileges granted
10 the Canadian Pacific by the United
States Government which enable II to
compete with its rivals on this side OF
the Canadian boundary. In the mean.
while. the Canadian Pacific forces arc
aggressive. and the representatives of the
American railway lines interested in the
fight anNiously await the result of the
interview between the committee appoint
ed on Saturday and the Representatives
of the Canadian Pacific line at Montreal