The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-22
souTHERN RAILROADS.

It is stated in an Associated. Press dis
patch from Atlanta, Ga, that at a recent
conference between representative South
en furnace opera tors and leading officials
of Southern railroads. an agreement was
reached which reduces the freight rate on
furnace products Soc. on ton 20 ONO
and Mississippi River points and beyond,
and to South Atlantic and Virginia cities
and Eastern points. The decrease, now
ever, applies solely to domestic business.
It is claimed that one year ago the rail-
roads advanced domestic freight rates
81. and the rates to the coast for export
iron SOC. on the ton. The furnace opera
tors made no protest so long as the prices
of iron held up, but when the market
weakened furnace men urged reduction
to a rate commensurate with the decline
in the price of pig IRON The railroads
were not willing to make this concession.
but they met the furnace operators in
shirt of compromise, and a satisfactory
rate was made.
This is interesting as showing that
Southern railroad men are reasonable, and
that they are disposed to do every reason
able thing within their power to advance
the material interests Of the South. The
railroads of the South are now pracu-
caIIy under an agreement by which they
can maintain rates in spite Of the protest
Of shippers. and so long as they act IN
concert It is quite possible for them to
make their rates exorbitant and oppressive
But they are not disposed TO do this, and
for two very good reasons. Inc hrst We
have already pointed out Ihey are
reasonable men and they are public spirited
men. and they desire that their roads
shall be as they have always been, i'm
portant factors in Southern development.
The other reason is a; purely selfish one, as
that term is applied IN business. 1t is
clearly to the interest of the Southern
railroad men to build UP the country
through which their lines pass. for as
the South develops and advances. the
railroads necessarily get benefit The
great iron industries of the South and the
of that character are among the rail
roads best customers. They have enor-
nous quantities of freight to ship from
time to time, and the greater their out
put, the greater their patronage to the
roads The railroad men understand this
and they are not foolish enough to kill
the goose that lays the golden egg. They
are willing to give and take, and they are
willing to help the manufacturers of the
South because in helping them they are
helping themselves.
A great deal IN this day is said about
the greed of corporations. But 1t should
be remembered that it is greed. to use
plain English word, that incites men to
action. Without the desire to get gain
they would soon lose their energy and
business would stagnate. But those who
are at the head OF corporations have
learned that the way to get gain is to
pursue a liberal policy toward their pat
rons There is more money in doing
big business at small profits than in do
ing small business at large profits. Thus
it Is that the great aim of the big cor
porations Of the country, of whatever
character, IS to give to patrons the best
and the cheapest, for it has been dis
covered that in such a policy there Is the
greatest gain.
The interests of the railroad men and
the manufacturers of the South are
mutual and hence 1t is not difficult for
them to agree as to the rate that will
most surely promote the interests OF
both.