The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-31
NEW YORK MERCHANTS.
They Are Openly Threatening All
Railroads In This Section.

Members of the New York Merchants AS
ISOLATION. having realized that they have
lost nearly all the trade they ever had in
the Southwest, and Furthermore that they
cannot force the railroads in this territory
to discriminate against ITS trade cehters.
publish their wall of lamentation- Last
Wednesday the New York Commercial had
an editorial on the subject. and the follow
ing day the president OF the Merchants As
sociation is given a column OF space Tor n
signed article. II IS a long string OF appeals
and threats asking for national legislation
and menacing the traffic OF all railroacs that
refuse 1t reduced rates. Here Is a sample or
President Kings blufiing:
THE Merchants Association is determined
that New York shall be treated fairly II
has never asked for favor, and does not
intend to- but we do insist tina. concessions,
II granted in the matter OF reduced passeii-
ger rates, must be granted without partial
fly or discrimination. and Will hold wit, with
Wen"
ern lines have not Disseminated" against
New York but on the contrary have grant
ed the Merchants Association the usual re-
duced rates for its summer meetings. The
only restriction placed on these tickets was
the usual time limit Of i've days as dates OF
sale and thirty days within which 10 return
on them. This did not suit the association.
II wanted the dates of sale extended to
thirty days. and this was denied. because OF
the tendency TO demoralize rates from an
points IN Southwestern territory TO New
York. for at least one month
Ii was shown to the officials or the asso-
citation that the few Texas merchants who
wanted to make a business trip to New
York would go there at any time. irrespec-
tive of a reduction in rates OF few dollars.
and that for those who really wanted TO
take advantage OF a low fare limit of five
days for the sale OF tickets would satisfy
all reasonable purposes TO protect them en-
these tickets for thirty days and thus open
the way for manipulation to ticket brokers
in New York and all Southwestern points.
But all this was 10 no avaii Win the IS
ISOLATION which started out to Play a Ges-
perate game to regain Its lost presiise IN
Southwestern territory. Here Is another tx
tract from the plaint: -, 80,
"Our Mr.. Langley, who Is famlillr MIN
TRANSFORMATION methods and their effect
upon trade relations, is engaged IN Io.niinS
out to the railroads. from a commercial
point of view, determinations that Fave
been fos;ered by them. and seemi1Siy have
| crown fast to their policy. These. IN the
| long run promise TO be detrimental to the
prosperity of the roads practicing them. No
| one railroad can control all or thc tus hess.
| no matter what inducements It may sIer;
| Neither can localities nor any toHHefcidi
| house or line Of trade.
| This IS doubled barreled. as II will show
| the New York merchants that the southern
| Pacific is not the only line in the Sout n
| west and that New York Is not the only
| market in this country and that neither
| can control the traffic or trade OF this Sec
ton.
/ oil the New York Merchants Association "a
/ get something 1t Is not entitled to md us
/ senseless threats at this time Will only
serve TO engender nitter iee Zee Which W WI
i decided disadvantage when requesting "a
/ yors In the future