The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-19
MERCHANTS NEW YORK RATE
STATEMENT THAT 1T WAS PUT IN
BY THE S. p. DIsCREDITED.
Association Lines Hind Already PUB.
Iished the Rate-sIigbt Lead 10
u Big Rate War.

According 10 thoroughly posted rail-
road man the dispatch from New York
published In yesterdays Post, to the eff
feet that the Southern Pacific had scored
point on the Southwestern association
is misleading.
The telegram states that the Southern
Pacific has made a rate of one and a
third fares for the round trip for mer-
chants from all points on its line to New
York after the other roads. nearly all
of which are in the Southwestern associa-
ton, had turned the New York merchants
down on the proposition.
Simultaneously with the publication Of
the telegram from New York there APP
peared in The Post on the first page an
advertisement by the international and
| Great Northern putting on the same rate,
and the International and Great Northern
I is a member OF the association. All tickets
are to be sold on the certificate plan.
According to the gentleman who dis
cussed the subject with The Post reporter
the assertion that shippers VIII have The
privilege of routing oil goods purchased is
absurd. This right always rests with the
purchaser unless the goods are sold on 4
delivered basis, which is the exception.
| Should the seaboerd lines secure tho
benefit of free marine insurance the all
rail lines would naturally adopt some
means to Offset this cut in rates and 1t
would not be long before n rate war would
be on. Although the traffic men are at
present living very closely up 10 tariff
agreements it may be that some OF them
would like to have finish fight between
the ocean lines and the all-rail lines. II
is known fact that the ocean lines, that
is those running to the gulf ports, do not
like the present state of AFFAIRS. They
have submitted, under protest. to ST.
Louis being made the basing point for
freight rates, as it is to their detrimen:'
Perhaps the granting Of free marine IN
surance Will furnish pretext for causing
a row.
Another thing to be taken into eonsId-
Grafton is the fact that the Southwest ern
association or the Southern Pacific. before
putting on any special rate 10 New foik'
must first obtain consent OF the Eastera
trunk lines. Without such agreement they
would have to pocket the losses. The
Southwestern association has close rela-
tions with the Eastern trunk line associa7
tions, and it Is but reasonable TO presume
that when the rate was made for the pur-
pose of drawing merchants to New forh
to purchase goods there was thorough
understanding
II will be recalled that during the Dewey
celebrations in New York the lines In the
Southwestern association made every ell
fort in their power to eecure special rates
so that the Houston Light Guard and othor
Texas military companies might take IN
the big event, but met with nat refusal
This demonstrates the fact that the East-
ern lines control the situation
Consequently the Southern Pacific could
not have secured such a special concession
aud the other lines are ahead OF them in
announcing the rate. as the big type I'D In
The Post explains
The Post reporter was unable 70 obtain
other expressions. but can state that the
Houston East and West Texas will meet
the rate.
Should the Southern Pacific have Sc
cured such concession as IS intimated In
the New York dispatch the allFriil lines
would 60 them one better as a measure o.
self-defense, and then the iong-expeetet
rumpus between the lines having gulf out
lets aud the others would be on In earnest
The next thing to be expected Is a re-
quest on the part OF st. Louis lines for
special merchants rate. as ST. Louis Is GU
these days after Texas tnade.