Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-25

west. were doubtful Of the advantages to
them of such system. This part Of the
report, however, was adopted.
A resolution was also proposed by the
committee reconsidering the report adopted
at the last meeting of the board on postal
affairs. 1t was explained by the chairman.
Mr.. Andrews, that this resolution had ref
erence to the report made by MS.-Finley
Acker in regard to the rates paid to the
railroads for mail transportation, which,
Mr.. Acker admitted, contained inaccuracies.
He believed If the board wished to main
tain its influence it should set itself right
in this matter by repudiating the state
mentS made by Mr.. Acker, which are al.
mitted to be wrong.
He went on to say that Mr.. Acker had
gone into this subject without the training
and experience of railroad man, and his
conclusions had suffered because of his
lack of knowledge. He expressed the high
est opinion of Mr. Acker s ability and in
tegrity, and said the resolution did not i'm
pugn his motives.
Mr.. PattersOn's Ornaments.
Mr.. c. s. Patterson of Philadelphia said
he was a director of the Pennsylvania rail-
road, but he was not here as a railroad
man. He rather ridiculed. in good-na-
tured way and with many expressions OF
respect for Mr.. Acker, the conclusions
reached by the latter in regard to the cost
of mail TRANSPORTATION. He thought that
Mr.. Acker had not the experience to pass
upon the questions involved, and described
as airy his treatment of grave problems
which puzzled trained railroad men. He
then went on to speak of the work of the
commission appointed by Congress to in
vestigate this subject, the conclusions of
which had not been announced.
Mr.. Patterson took up some of the state
ments made by Mr. Acker, especially one
which tended to show that the profits
made by the Pennsylvania railroad in mail
transportation were very large. He quoted
from statements made by Post Office De-
partment officials which contradicted those
made by Mr.. Acker.
The time allowed by the bylaws to each
speaker expired, and the board, by unani-
nous vote allowed Mr.. Patterson to con-
tinue This action indicated the great in
terest taken by the delegates in this SUBJ
ject and the Importance attached to the
utterances of Mr.. Patterson as the repre-
sentative of the Pennsylvania railroad and
also representing, 1t was supposed, the posi-
ton of the railroads.
Mr.. Patterson continued to discuss the
points advanced by Mr.. Acker in his speech
of yesterday. He objected to Mr.. Acker's
comparison between the postal and passen-
ger rates. He explained that in England
the mails were carried in baggage cars. but
in this country there We're mail cars which
were travelling post offices. and official fig
ures showed that GA per cent Of the mail
was carried in these cars. The railroad re-
ceived nothing in addition to the regular
rate for such service. He denied that the
postal employees did any railroad work as
the bags of mail were delivered into the
postal cars by railroad employees. He
claimed that this question of rates was not
one of Importance to the railroad interests
of the city, but it was of importance that
the national board of trade should be right
in its facts, and for this reason he favored
a reconsideration of the action of the board
of last year
Mr.. Acker Responds.
When Mr.. Patterson concluded, Mr. Acker
SAID he was anxious, as was the preceding
speaker, that the board should be right,
but he objected to giving currency to the
impression that the board had committed
grave error. He was in favor of correcting
the statements made last year. to show the
whole truth and not part. He went on to
say that the mistake of last year was
partly due to accepting official figures, and
he then proceeded to justify his course in
comparing passenger and mail rates. He
said he, like Mr.. Patterson, favored the in
vestigation of this subject by a commits
sion. He renewed his statement that the
present passenger rate was three cents per
ton mile, while the government paid for
mail transportation 12l1 cents per ton mile.
Mr.. Acker, pausing, said he saw from Mr..
PatterSon'S face that he differed from him,
and he would like him to state where the
error lay. Without rising to his feet Mr..
Patterson replied that Mr.. Acker was ut
terly wrong, but as he had already made a
correction he would not repeat 1t.
The discussion then proceeded several of
the delegates expressing their views.
The Action Taken.
After 1.-The discussion, which at times was
rather animated, a resolution was adopted
which affirmed that the errors in the re-
port adopted last year do not materially
affect the question and that the board re-
iterates Its demand for fuller investiga-
ton of this subject by Congress. in Coop
Grafton with the standing committee of the
lizard, with the view of reducing the pres
ent rate paid for mail transportation.