The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-13
RAILROADS.
SAYING things
ABOUT G. G. "
CUT IN RATES HASN'T CAUSED
GENERAL DISTURBANCE.
n Railroad Official Says the Cutting
Policy Is Only a Playing Into the
Hands of Another Merger-Ita ughs
at Public for Landing Sticlney.

Special to The Journal,
( New York, Feb. 13.-The western
rate situation is not yet a very great
cause of alarm among the biggest rail-
road men Of the west, in spite iof the
fact that almost daily there are dis
turbances more or less serious. They
are inclined to regard the action of
Great Western as merely game to
attract a bid for the sale of the road.
It is just as it always was. This road
is regarded as more or less of a pirate
among the big lines. 1t can operate
pretty cheaply and lies only between
great traffic centers." It's own bust
ness is pretty dense and it can make
rates regardless of the necessities Of
conducting transportation in the less
thickly settled and productive areas
Of the northwest.
One of the biggest railroad men in
that area says:
THE exception proves the rule
and the rule is that the traffic shall be
carried at rates that are fairly regular.
There are breaks and there will con-
tinue to be breaks. But after all is
over the people will come to the con-
clusion that they carried a whole lot
Of tons Of freight at rates that netted
no profit, They will see that they
themselves have helped to do the very
things they accuse the labor unions Of
doing. They will understand that they
are themselves doing lin their pow
err to advance the actual ton mile cost
unit and so curtail- the actual ton mile
profit unit. In the end that Is the
way a railroad man has got to see
things. If he can't see it himself his
president, or ultimately his STOCKHOLM
ers will tell him about, and tell him
plainly, too.
Incidentally I don't look for the
trouble to spread greatly or to become
very serious except in that locality
where Mr.. Stickney exercises his ben
| evolent offices. T..
1.-THE people welcome these disturb
ances, according to the tone of glee
| that perVades the papers Of the section
| affected by any cut in rates. That is
| very strange. The same people will
frown upon consultations, mergers,
rate agreements, traffic associations
and will call them inventions Of the
devil. They are. They are the direct
result Of Just such tactics as those Of
Great Western, which are beloved by
the people. It may be that the peo-
pie who laud Great Western for it's
cheap rates don't know what Great
Western is after. Perhaps they don't
see that Mr.. Stickney, in. trying to
knock the spots off the traffic agree
ments, is playing for another merger.
suppose some Jay VI cav " ee'eii Il
will be 'gobbled." Then the same
people who are talking of it as a pub
lie benefactor will rise in their wrath
and legislate, sue, raise all kinds OF
rumpus because the logical result OF
| the tactics of Great Western has come
upon them. I suppose no sane man
will deny that the terrific traffic wars
between, Great Northern and Northern
Pacific were the underlying cause. of
the formation of the Northern Securi-
ties company. If he does let him read
| the testimony of J. J. Hill. 49, ..@.'
| AT present we are not worrying.'