Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-08
Practical Agreement Between
the Hill and Hartman
Lines OF Railroad
PROTEST AGAINST THE MOVE
The Far West Will Suffer Most-Feo-
ruary and March Will Show Jus.
Where Western Lines Stand on the
Ms.te-DoubtfuI if Agreement VIII
Work For Long, in This Case.

New York. Jan. S.-The announce
ment that the Great Northern. North
ern Pacific. burlington. Union Pacifie
Southern Pacific and Canadian Pacifi.
have reached an agreement to adNanei
rates liz per cent has caused muct
speculation on Wall street. 1t Is take.
as the clearest Indication of what may
| be expected from the friendship that
| has arisen between the Hill and Har-
riman lines. They are now In suc1
thorough agreement that practical
traffic agreement exists between them
and they can together make the rates
for the northwest.
Mr.. Hill has lately been very eH-
plicit in his statements that the re-
muneration for transportation must
be brought up to the needs OF the
roads IL the steady advance In the cost
of labor and material could not be Off
set in some other way. The only Other
way is the reduction of grades and
the introduction of economies In the
shape OF larger cars and greater pow
er. Lack of money appears to nave
brought the Improvements and the
purchase of equipment to sudden
stop. Therefore the rates go up. 1t
lis natural process. The railroads OF
the northwest In particular have re
iuced their rates steadily by various
means. They have operated on 4
basis pretty close to the line between
gain and loss. They are conservative
ly capitalized and their stockholders
have been patient. Mr.. Hill takes the
ground that they are justified in maj
Ing the shippers pay for the advance
In initial cost of operating.
That Canadian Pacific has come IN
need not surprise any one who follow
the ways of the American railroad
men who administer that property.
Canadian Pacific says that II is only
anxious. to keep peace with all west
ern lines. The higher the schedule
the better for Canadian Pacific. The
advance In commodity rates will en-
able this road to gather revenue on Its
local business just SO much greater
than before. On large part of the
line there is no competition. The adj
vance In rates will also enable the
for Its service when 1t wants to make
a bid on it's own account for transcoE-
tinental business. AT the moment
there seems little likelihood OF any
such disturbance. but the fact remains
that there could be no better action
from Canadian Pacific standpoint
than an advance in commodity rates
There has been already considerable
protest against the move-and there
Is likely to be considerably more pro-
test when the advance in rates goes
into general effect. The far west Will
suffer most as its productions are In
the greater part low grade and thers
is not much margin of profit left for
the shippers as 1t is. A very slight
advance in some grades OF lumber
would shut the lumber OF the far west
out OF the eastern markets That this
is likely to happen In the near future
is denied by officials, but the first step
has been taken in the advance in COM
modify rates to go into effect on Jan.
IS. The rest depends upon the labor
unions.
The Canadian Pacific has suffered In
the same way as the western lines OF
the United States. but not yet to sucn
an extent.
In the nature of things full reall-
zaiion of the meaning of the move will
cause a clamor in the northwest. 1t Is
not believed that in this case the
= greemen. Is very ironciad-for II ii
had been the Canadian Pacific would
lever save been In it. OF course. the
detection of any ole of the roads
would make the presen. agreement i'm
possible.
That the agreement will work fer
very long In this case is extremely
daubtfui. Hill and Harriman vii.
doubtless stand together, hut the
A.chison and Rock Island in the south.
and the Cana dian Pacific, in the north.
are hard roads 10 hold IN any kind of
traffic arrangements that they do not
make themselves of tasfr own free
will. 1t remains for February AMI
March TO show Just whore the western
lines stand on this matter. If there IS
rot general advance IN Western
freight rates by the middle of Fehr,.-
airy. there is little doub. that there VII.
he a reysrs;on to the Old scheduls. \;
may as we'll be stated fatty that the
prospects for general advance in rate
schedules are considered Very good by
.he hast informed traffic officials of the