El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-15

tinued. accurate, and sensible work, by
experienced men, to secure for FL Paso
shippers the rates that they believe
they ought to have in order to enable
them To compete with the great dis
tributing centers of the north and east.
The railroad people themselves ad-
init that there is much discrepancy in
rates, often to the disadvantage OF the
FL Paso merchant Kansas City. st.
Louis, and Chicago are all so favored
as to shut FL Paso out of certain mark
cts that we can legitimately consider
ours by right of propinquity. Even
Albuquerque and Tucson. Los Angeles
and San Francisco are enabled to come
into our preserves and undersell the FL
Paso houses in some lines. not because
of the better standing of those outside
houses or their goods but because. If
the allegations of our local shippers
are well founded. there is discrimi-
nation in outgoing freight rates
against this city.
The question is large one. The cry
against tire local "jobbing rate" has
become sort of fetch with some men
to excuse their own shortcomings.
While there may be and doubtless is
much truth in the charge of inequality.
still IL is not by senseless and loud
denunciation that justice is to- he
reached. but by careful study of the
situation, and by proving to the roads.
first that there actually is discrimi-
nation. and second. that il would GER
tainIy benefit the roads to do some
thing different.
Freight rates above all things re-
quire the attention of businessmen if
is to be accomplished-men
with the rate situation at the fingers
ends. and with full knowledge OF
railroad practice and technicalities.
Whoever takes up the fight with the
railroads must be not only a well in
formed and convincing talker. with
facts and figures to cover every ques-
ton that can possibly arise. but he
must also be a diplomat. a man who
can watch for little advantages and
take them. Railroad rate men are the
shrewdest of ali the employees of the
roads. and while they are always ready |
to listen to a strict business PROPOSE |
ton. set forth with full array of fig
ures they are not to be reached with |
general statements or wild demands. |
One thing that should be kept in |
mind is that railroad men are first of
all businessmen. and that they are
for the corporations that pay |
their salaries. This being so. such de- |
mands as are made should be strictly
1t is wrong policy to de
mand twice as much as one expects
to get. on the theory that the demand
will be discounted 30 per cent anyhow.
If this is done the almost invariable
result is to have the request turned
down without consideration. On the
other hand. if the demand is reason
able. and is backed up by all the neces-
sary facts and figures to establish the
points made to the satisfaction OF any
fair min led man. the request is sure
To get a respectful hearing. and the |
prospect of having it granted is much |
brighter.
Whatever is done, the fact should |
never be lost sight of that the rail |
roads are our best friends. What we |
are as city. they have made us. We |
are dependent upon them for growth
and prosperity. They have helped us
IN the past. and while it is true that
hey are looking out for themselves"
and may not be losing anything"
still it is also true that the greatest
is achieved when the va
-ious interests are working together in
and therefore the problem
should be approached in spirit of
and fair play.
Let every shipper and every other
nan interested in this matter come to
he meeting tomorrow night.