The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-21
AMONG RAILROAD MEN
Piratical Conduct of the Southern
Pacific Must Stop.
TO PROTECT THE WEST
The Eastern Shippers Given a Haul OF
1900 Miles for Nothing-An Effort
to Adjust the Rate Problem
The Graduated Scale.


decided hat the piratical conduct of
the Southern Pacific must cease. Tn
less the Southern Pacific agrees 20
adopt a graduated tariff they will in
troduce differentials from Western CEN
tiers sufficient to accomplish the same
end. IL Western factories and stores
cannot be protected one way. some
other way of protecting them will be
discovered.
1t Is to make another effort to solve
the transcontinental rate problem with
out resorting to trickery or force that
a meeting of executive officers of trans
continental lines will be held in Union
Pacific headquarters in New York Jan.
10. The Northern lines will propose an
equitable adjustment of rates that will
give Chicago. st. Paul and other West
ern manufacturing and jobbing GEN.
tiers the benefits that belong to them by
the right OF location-something they
have never enjoyed on account of the
Southern Pacific's "dog-in-the-man-
ger policy. says the Pioneer-Press.
Whenever a rate was made from a
Western point to the Pacific coast. the
Southern Pacific Immediately met II
from New York, and to-day " costs no
more to ship commodities from sea-
board points than from St. Paul. There
are a few exceptions. but no thanks TO
the Southern Pacific. The Eastern
shipper really gets a haul of from 1000
to 1900 miles for nothing because the
Southern Pacific has a water line to
New Orleans.
In earlier days most manufacturing
was done on a line through he Pitts
burg territory or east thereof, but as
the country developed 1t spread west
ward. Their the manufacturers got the
benefits OF location in rates proportion
ate to distance and so kept rowdlng
West. The Southern Pacific could not
-Aazl tAfa ,Ygannaa nnA 70 Rhnnk tho
natural development of the country TO.
satisfy its greed. applied from New
York any and every rate made west
thereof to the Pacific coast. SO per-
sistently and effectually has II pursued
these tactics that to-day there is n
blanket rate covering one-half the con-
tinent.
In 1898 Northern roads undertook to
break the Southern Pacific's monopoly,
and after losing an Immense amount
of revenue gave up the effort. The
days of ~gging In ~railroading are
gone but the Northern lines have
taken a decided stand. from which
they will not bulge ar inch. They are
in better shape now h ever before
to protect the interests of their pat
rons. The Southern Pacific knows
this and. judging from appearances, in
tends TO yield gracefully to the newt
able.
II no graduated scale of rates can be
secured. Western lines Will meet every
situation as they find IL. making spe-
cial rates for certain commodities EN-
titled to them. on account of Its New
York-New Orleans line and cheap
water rates from San Francisco to the
Northern Pacific coast, the southern
Pacific can neutraliZe such efforts In
many instances. but not all. 1t has
demonstrated it's ability to carry freight
from New York to San Francisco for
30 cents per 100 pounds, but If II in
tends to continue its unholy war ii will
have to carry some freight for less
a cost.
The general board Of adjustment of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men on the Great Northern held its an
nual meeting in st. Paul a few davs
ago and elected the following officers:
General chairman. Fred Smith of 81.
Paul. vice general chairman, Fl. t.
Seney of Kalispell, Mont; secretary
and treasurer. Thomas Marshall OF
willmar; delegates, T. +. Phillips of
West Superior: william Kenyon OF
Clancy, Mont. James Grant of Leaven-
worth, Wash: w. woodford of Glas-
gov. Mont; G.. ii. Ludwig of Mime
apolis.
Grand Master Sargent. who attended
the meeting. said that the reports OF the
officers and statements made by the
men from various points were mine1
ly satisfactory n showed that the or
ganization on the system was in a -four
ishing condition.
Northern Pacific earnings the first
week of this month were s557.617, an
increase of 81. 707; total for fiscal rear,
s13, 295, 500, an increase of 81, 204. 592.
President Melien spoke very encourag-
ingly in New York.
Colonel Wheeler. live stock agent Of
the Omaha. thinks Montana is in a
very prosperous condition. the best evil
dence of which being that all travel
ing men report collections easy and
prompt.
The Canadian Pacific earnings for the
week ending Dec. IA were s566.OOO; for
the same period last year, s5i5,OO0; in
crease, s21. 900.