El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-12
LINK AND PIN.

met in Chicago and endeavored to form
a pool en- rates or arrange a tariff
| schedule on which all roads would dc
business. The intention of this was tC
prevent rate cutting to where none OF
| the roads could make a profit. Many
of them were going into the hands OF
| the receiver ard something had to be
done. Well. when this matter came
| up the interstate commerce commiss-
| ion. branch of the general govern
meBt, interfered and the courts. under
| the antitrust law. declared the agree
ment void. stating that the public must
have competition anG this tariff agree
ment did away with all competition.
THE railroads had to obey and the
tariff agreement went to pieces. Many
of the roads suffered as they could not
secure business when other roads with
shorter hauls and better facilities made
a better bid for the business. Some
thing had to be done and when such
men as the Vandertilts, Rockefellers.
Harrimans, and Goulds set their heads
on aything they are going to do it in
spite of the courts. They could not
make q. freight agreement and nothing
was left but to buy the roads that were
hindering them and consolidate them
under one management. This is now
being done and will continue to be
done until there are but a few great
railroads in the country.
Twenty years ago it would have
been utterly impossible for one road
to buy such an institution as the South
ern Pacific. Last week the Union Pa
cific bought it as | would go to store
and buy nat. The great railroad
companies have the money and power
TO buy anything they want and this
consolidation will keep up until there
are but few systems
The railroader quoted says howev-
er. that the states are to blame for this
state of affairs. If the states had al
lowed the railroads to make rates and
compete with each other there would
have been very little consolidation
In this age. when a railroad can issue
and sell without creating a sensation
more bonds than the government can.
there is little chance to control them
There is less and less disposition to
complain at railroads. however and
the public is about to conclude that it
makes no difference what company op-
crates road just so the trains are run
regularly and give good service.
DOUBLE-HEADER BILL.
There is soon to come up before the
Texas state senate a bill which seeks
to stop the practice of operating
trains on railroads in
Texas. When it does come up there
will probably be lively discussion.
The committee on labor of the senate
made a favorable majority report and
an adverse minority report on the bill.
The testimony. both pro and con. on
the subject of the alleged extra hazard
incurred in operating two engines on
a train. which was given before the
railroad commission, was not consider
ed by the committee. but it will doubt
less be used by the opponents of the
measure when it comes up for consid
Grafton on the floor of the senate.
MANY HOME SEEKERS.
Within the next three months. ac- |
,ording to railroad officials. the rum |
Der of fasteners who will seek homes |
vest of the Mississippi river will ex-
ICED that of any similar period in the |
asst ten years. The immigration agent |
If every railroad directly interested in
he home-seekers' business has his
orce in the field rounding up prospec
i've settlers. The forces are at work
n all moving territory" which in
ludes Pennsylvania, Ohio. New York
md all other states east of the Miss
ssippi and north of the Ohio. AL
eduy arrangements nave peeh maze ~
AIRY large parties of home-seekers
rom points in Ohio to fertile sections
f North Dakota.
Cheap settlers rates are to be placed
n effect by the lines out of ST. Paul
nd Minneapolis tomorrow, and will
e obtainable every Tuesday thereafter
ntil the last of April or the middle 0.
lay. Last year between 10000 and
5 900 persons east of the Mississippi
ook up lands in the northwestern
tates. Judging by the present out
ook, immigration agents say that that
lumber will be doubled, if not tripled,
his year.