The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-22
HE TALKED RIGHT OUT
PRESIDENT COWEN, OF B. a o., Be
FORE THE INDUSTRIAL COM
MISSION
PIERCEs MANY PROPOSITIONS

Would Like to See the Pass Business
Wiped Out, but Believes 1t Cam
not De Done-Says n Law on the
Subject Would Not Be Effective
In New York, Where Passes Are
Prohibited. They Are Numerous.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 21.-President John
X Cowen, of the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road was before the industrial commits
sion today, In the course of his testl-
mony he expressed himself as opposed
to state laws restricting the running OF
railway trains on Sunday.
81 don't think Sunday laws amount to
anything or benefit anybody" he said.
He said that the tendency of companies
was towards curtailing the Sunday bust
ness as much as possible, but there was
some business that could not be stopped,
such, for instance, as the through traf-
ffc. He said that his road traversed
some states having laws prohibiting Sun
day traffic but there had been no prose-
cutions for violations of the law and no
cessation of business on account Of it.
Mr. Cowen said there were $4,000 en-
ployes on the Baltimore & Ohio proper,
and that since the establishment of re-
lief fund, to which both the company
and the employees contributed for the
benefit of injured men there had been
comparatively few suits for damages in
case of accident.
Mr.. Cowen said he did not believe the
arbitration law of the last congress would
have any effect, for the reason that no
railroad would allow an outsider to fix
the wage rate of its employees.
Referring to the pass system, Mr.,
Cowen said that it was greatly abused
and that railroads would like to get rid
of it, but it would be difficult. While
he would like to see the pass system
supplanted by pay business, the result
would be lowering Of rates.
AZ do not believe that law on the
subject would be effective" he said.
and. therefore, consider 1t unnecessary
to burden the statutes with it.
He had been told by New York rail-
road man that the prohibition law of that
state had increased rather than dimin-
ished the number of passes used. He
advocated the authorization of pooling
contracts as the best means of prevent
ing determinations on the part of the
railroads. He would be willing to vest
the interstate commerce commission with
power in a Htigated case to say whether
a rate was reasonable or not, giving ap-
peal to the states, but he did not believe
that railroad men generally would be will
ing to make this concession. They were
generally reluctant to grant any further
powers over their business. He said
there was less discrimination now than
formerly.
Speaking Of the articles on which
rebates were given year ago, he said
that all the products of the packing
houses and Of iron and steel manufac-
tories were generally included in the
list No rebates were given these arti-
cles now, but on the contrary. the rail-
road companies were trying and expected
to be able to effect an increase in the
price of transportation of iron and steel
products.
Mr.. Cowen said that the average freight
earnings of the Baltimore & Ohio last
year amounted to only 3.9 mills per ton
per mile, and that to reduce it more
would soon bring it to the vanishing
point. He thought the government own
: ership of railroads would be sublime
folly"
MR.. FISH TALKS FREELY.
81 Mr., Stuyvesant Fish, president of the
Illinois Central Railroad compay, was
before the commission during the after
-4lOOAL SSSSIOu maze an argument Tor
the shipment of products Of the Missis-
sippi valley states intended for export,
via New Orleans, claiming the advantage
Of a O, scending grade With equal ton
E mage, ht said, freight would be carried
more cheaply from Chicago to New Or
3 leans than from Chicago to New York.
Speaking of the competition of river
traE rOrtation he said that railroad rates
had become so low in recent years that
it was no longer formidable In three
years not bale Of cotton had been car
ried into New Orleans by boat. He pre-
scented table showing that there were
SIX systems Of railroads, representing
over $4,000 miles, terminating in New Or
leans.
He said that the capital stock of the
Illinois Central did not represent the
zeal value by $20,00O,0OO and declared that
-aiiroads generally instead of being over
capitalized were really under capitalized.
T le road had never failed to pay divi-
Sends, but during the recent dull times
succeeding the panic of 1893, 1t had been
necessary to reduce the force very ma
terially. He thought it would have been
more satisfactory to reduce wages than
to curtail the force, but this had been
found impracticable, because Of the
danger of a strike. He expressed the
opinion that wages would always be
controlled by the law of supply and de-
mand, except as its operation may be
influenced by labor trusts seeking to pre-
vent free men from selling their only
capital in the best market He hasten
ed to say, after this remark, that by
labor trusts" he did not refer to such
labor organizations as the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers or the Order of
Railroad Conductors and others of the
same kind, but to professional labor agi-
tators.
Mr.. Fish advocated the taxation of rail-
roads by taking their gross receipts the
abolition Of the ticket brokerage system
and the giving Of passes
Senator Mallory asked If It was under
stood that value was to be received when
passes were issued to members of con-
sress, state legislatures, etc.
have been told that such was the
case" the witness replied, but I don't
know"
He said that the interstate commerce
law opened a loop hole for the granting
of passes by making SO many exceptions
to the prohibition. :
81 don't know" he said, "why a pass
should be given to minister rather than
a shoemaker Both do business IN tha