The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-24
NEW xoRRs FIGHT FOR LIFE.

A recent dispatch under a New York
date announced that arrangements for
opening up to New York trade the
state of Texas and of other territory
in the extreme south and southwest
have been concluded with the Mallory
line the Cromwell line and the South
ern Pacific Railroad company and con-
meeting lines north into Indian Terrific
~ and south into Mexico and to all the
principal gulf ports in Texas by the
Merchants association.
The steamship lines agree to bring
merchants into New York from their
respective ports and through their
respective rail or other connections. on
all the sailing dates, the tickets being
sold at the rate urged by the Mer-
chants association.
This is one of the first steps on the
part of New York to regain some of her
lost prestige as the chief market of the
country.
The enormous decrease in the COM
rnerce of New York, which has gone to
Baltimore, Newport News and other
Atlantic seapOrts, and the diversion Of
the wholesale and jobbing trade to Chi
cago, has thrown the merchants of the
metropolis into a fit of Mysteries
For self-protection they have organic
ed an association to punish people who
propose Ito divert traffic from New
York and concentrate it elsewhere,
and those who seek to dam up the nat
ural channels of trade and to force
trade to follow artificial channels" At
a recent meeting of the general passen-
ger agents of the trunk lines of rail-
ways, a threatening circular was serv-
ed upon everybody.
The document was as follows:
More than 25 railroads, covering or
controlling the gateways to all the ter
ritory between the Rocky Mountains
and Mississippi river, and between the
Ohio river and the Great Lakes, have
combined against New York and in IA
vOr of western cities. Their purpose is
to divert traffic from New York and
concentrate it elsewhere. They seek
to dam up the natural channels of trade
and to force trade to follow artificial
channels.
Their method is discrimination by
which New York is compelled to pay
more than other cities for equal serV-
ice.
That is to say, a large number of
great railroad corporations have unit
ed for the purpose of breaking down
New Yorlx's commercial supremacy and
transferring it to inland cities.
The process has been going on covert
ly for several years. Now it has been
forced into the light, and the railroad
companies concerned have been com
PEELED to show their hands, have grant
ed reduced fares to st. Louis and Chi
cago and have refused reduced fares to
New York. That is, they are paying
the American people a bonus to stay
away from the city in which you live
and with which your prosperity IS
bound up.
The Merchants association proposes
to fight for equal treatment; not for
favOrs, but for justice. It wants what
4 other cities get. nothing more. 1t pro-
n 7crb 6iffaTRnfialS which are
now diverting its export trade to other
ports, scattering its shipping interests
and making its great wharfage and
warehouse interests Improbable. 1t
proposes to fight Illegal passenger dis
ordinations which turn the tide OF
travel away from this city. 1t proposes
to fight freight combines that reduce
the freight charges of St. Louis and
Chicago to One-half what New York
has to pay.
In order to meet the reduced fares
which the railroads of the Central Pas
senger association offer to merchants
who will go to Chicago and st. Louis
and stay away from New York, the
Merchants association proposes to
make independent arrangements for re-
duced fares for visiting merchants
from all parts of the United States
It also proposes to cumulate passen-
ger travel and freight traffic to and
from this city upon the railroads ana
steamship lines that do not discriminate
against New York.
In brief, it proposes to wage a
strictly defensive warfare against the
unjust and unequal treatment of New
York in transportation matters.
For these purposes the Merchants
association requires fund OF S1OO,GOO TO
$500 600 and it invites contributions
thereto from all citizens of New York
who favor resistance to an injustice
that is destructive if not opposed.
The dispatch quoted above indicates
that New York's fight has not been in
vain.
lola will go to keep company with