Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-09-03
IMPORTANT DECISION.
IS NOT ENTITLED 10 THE DFftRtNTlAt.



Washington. sept. 2-Ths interstate
commerce commission. BY a decisiVn
today In the matter Of The PASSENGER
rates disturbance OF the Canadian III
olnc Involving the proprleiy or diner
,ntiai passenger rates between Eastern
points and me Pacific coast hell ina
the Canadian Pacific BE- n'' entitled /"
me dinertutiai c1ntcndsd for' rue
ease IL ono ~ The most Important mat
has been before the commission Tor
long lime. ihe American railroad lines
ana the canadian Pacific having been
engaged slx months or more In q war
over passenger crane between the East
ana the West. The decision saysi
..The commission holds shat the claim
mad0 In behalf - che American r1ads
that no Canadian road u entitled -
dIneranilal under any American line OF
any American business II pronapiy IN.
tsnabie. even from ihe stanipolnt ot
fhe American rluda. ~ Hlme
Canadian roads. notably the urahn
Trunk. work In cilal connection Win
American lines and the public inisrts
IN The reduced rates caused by COM
pefHl6n IN no. 20 BE- ignored"
Tn. commission, however states that
II has no power 10 allow OF dlsall9w the
dlnfrvnilai In dlspuv but would cnu-
slider n extremely fortunate " the Nun-
riuaiina eaohed should be made the
basis ~ an curly Adjustment Ihe
commission in conclusion elya'
~ must b. distinctly underHteod
THAI We DO bot recommend she sesur.
meni " this controversy BY making of
any agreement involving arbitration or
otherwise which ia IN violation on ihc
unti-trIst law a. interpreted by TIE
United states supreme court. such
fniurea N the pasi or future history
% this controversy a. may. IN oar
f.agm4nt or recommendation % Com
grels, will be- r,prtrented Ia our annual
report % that body. So Ear a. our on
fclnl action rpn ancci ne matter. We
conclude that We ought not ai prskcns
90 rsaclnd the SUSPENSION " 0riera
made heretofore. but 10 thr dlfilculty
should be- adjusted IN accordance with
tn views mere expressed Il may l,s-
como our duiy % revoke The permission
granted by fhnsc orders"
The passenger traffic war involved Ia
this dispute also applies between H.
Paul and other localities ana points on
the Pacific coast, which arose from the
refusal " American lines 10 longer con-
tlnue allowing the Canadian Pacific
dlfforcntini basis under which fares
from the East 90 Pacific coast points by
that route were less than those by the
American lines by 1850 on firnt-ciana and
81 on ncond-claaa business Very large
reductions In rates have been made
during the contest. The Canadian Pa
chic reduced the frEt-ciass fare from
Boston 10 Seattle from t7i.l5 10 $40, and
then on March 10Th last 10 sli This
was after the commission had suspend
"a long and short clause haul 90 enable
the American lines 20 meet the rates
made BY the Canadian Pacific. This Or
er was 10 expire on June solh but on
tune 21nd the suspension was extended
Ivy the commission until January I. 1889.
and about the time hits was done the
present Inquiry was Instituted.
Investigation was made IN Chicago
on August I. 1895, and the decision now
rendered IN based upon the facts then
disclosed. Tho deciaio nsayn;
"The frat AGREEMENT for dinrrentiAi
In favor Of the Canadian Pacific was la
1855. when the Tranarontinental naao-
claiio nwas formed. The Great North
crn became a transcnniinental line In
1888. made large reductions In paaaen.
ger rates from H. Paul 10 the paclfic
coast and II subsequently agreed 10 give
the Canadian Pacific an ail-rail connec-
tlon 10 Seattle. Tacoma and Portland,
In return for which the Canadian Pa
ellie dlnerrntlai through ~ Paul were
waived and tho Great Northcr obtained
train service 10 Vancouver.
Tho dincrntialH WERE however. COM
tlnucd on the Canadian Paclnc main
line until after the United states Flu
prtme court decided the tranHmiaHis-
alppl case under the antitrust nav The
then existing transcoutlnental aasocla-
ton was thrrruuun dissolved.
The kinndikr travel soon after as
stunned considerable volume aud the
Canadian Pacinc found upon inquiry
that tickets were being SOLD by ne
American lines At from so TO ii5 less
than their traffic rates. the concessions
being made through Increased COIN
missions allowed 10 ticket agents. The
American lines asserted that the ca
madam Pacific had also cut the rates
but insisted that this wna not material
o. this Investigation IN which no dlffer-
entail n the real matter al Issue.
The Canadian Pacific offered 20 ar
bltrnie the diifcrcntinl question pros
vidcd the old rates should first be- re-
stored. hut this was during the heavy
kiondike tranlo and the American
lines refused. Subsequently II made
this ofrcr without any condition. and
the American roads appear 20 have
consented with the exception OF the
Great Northern,
The other lines afterwards came
around 10 the Great Northern ylow.
The commission IL unable 10 lind In
the testimony anything outrageous In
the conduct ~ the Canadian Pacific In
this matter II says there may be roa-
sons why this direrontinl ought never
TO have been granted. hut Insisting
upon II that company simply claims
what numerous American lines had
claimed and what many were enjoying.
Whatever infIced Il 10 openly reduce
~ rates. the Great Northern ana
Northern Pacific. ~ chief competitors
had cut their rates In wlllful violation
OF the law and thereby not only nhnl.
ifhcd the dlncrcntiai but took "a sub.
stantlnl dinerentini Tor Themselves. II
the American lines deemed the differ
entail unwarrnntod should have pub.
lishcd a rate which Ignored II. Neither
does the commission SEQ anything rndl.
cnlly wrong In the present attitude of
the Canadian Pacific regarding the
settlement ~ the question Its promo.
hltion for arbitration was not unfair.
ON the other hand the commission dis.
claims any Intention 10 criticize the
Great Northern for refusing 20 arhi.
trnte
In view Of the aid granted 10 the
American roads by suspension Of the
long ana short clause and the request
Tor rs continuance, tho commission
nndH II necessary 10 determine whether
this claim FOR dlfferential IL lust. and
says that all along this has been tho
real source OF contention between the
parties.
N0sa