The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-21

ducing cost of operating really under
lies the, whole community of interest
nlan, the entire merger system, all
efforts toward. harmony of operating
all shortening and Strengthening OF
lines, elimination of grades and
curves, traffic agreements, railroad ap.
pointments such as those of Krutt-
schnitt: in fact, almost everything
tina, enters into the undermining nf a
abroad system. The progress: OF the
railroads in reducing ton-mila cost
cinnot possibly be checked w!thc'.t
checking at the same time the steady
progress that has been made in the
reduction of railroad rates and the
corresponding progress in the build
ing up of a gigantic commerce for this
country both at home and abroad. II
it should be checked at this ju%ncture,
the plans of J. J. Hill to make the
twin cities the center of the rice in
dustry of the world will fall with it.
Mr.. Hills plan aims at making the
rate for the transportation of a ,bushel
of rice from Yokohama, Japan, to Min
neapolis or St. Paul as low as the
present rate for transporting a bushel
OF wheat from North Dakota to Min
Eeapolis. Incidentally, Of course, he
aims likewise at the reduction of rates
between points in that territory.
Fifth-Neither the government, the
railroads, O the great mass of the
people actually desire a return to the
period of rebates, secret cutting of
rates and according special privileges
to large shippers. This is shown by
the satisfaction expressed in all quar-
tiers over the putting into operation
of the Elkins law. Even the large
shippers who formerly benefited most
through such special favors seem to
be united in their desire for stable
rates, recognizing that such stability
is likely to be the most genuine basis
of PROSPERITY, upon which prosperity
their own final well-being must de-
pend.
The conclusion to which the rail-
road men come from consideration
of these facts can be stated simply
thus: Northern Securities may go
out of existence. The common in
terest on the boards Of directors of
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
may be eliminated by law. The SUI
preme court may stand upon the let
ter of the Sherman antitrust law.
The merger principle may be limited
in every possible way. The form of
Northern Securities may go utterly
out of existence. Yet with all this
the substance of it will remain. Its
work and its results will stand as long
as the railroads of the country re-
main on the map. 1t made harmony
between the two great systems OF
the north. 1t vas the most gigantic
stride in history toward the reduction
OF the ton-mile cost OF operating rail
road systems. That step will never
be retraced.
In principle, all the great systems
OF the country are following hard
upon the example set by Mr.. Hill.
Pennsylvania includes in it's COM
munity of interest today, Baltimore
& Ohio, Norfolk & Western, G. & O.,
Reading, and a dozen smaller roads.
Rock Island has become great through
the combination Of many scattered
roads. Frisco has grown to be a
giant through the same principle. New
York Central likewise. Canadian Pa
cific, too, has learned the lesson.
The fruit of the genius of MI. Hill
is written on the records of the COM
n,erce of the country in the figures
that represent the cost of carrying
a bushel of grain from Seattle to New
York or a bale of silk from Vancouver
to Montreal as compared with the
figure that represented the cost OF
the same transportation fifteen years
ago. There can be no going back.
SEVERE ATTACK OF GRIP.