The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-11-13
SMALL INTEREST
IN R. R. RATE
Newspaper Men Declare
the General Public Con-
Germs Itself Little About
the Proposed Legislation
FEW PEOPLE HOLD OPINIONS
MEN ARE MORE READY TO DIS
CUss THE TARIFF AND THE
WEATHER THAN THEY ARE
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.

AA4L 4l<111%AAO<d1
WASHINGTON. D. G.. Nov. 10.
1905.-AImost no interest is taken in the
matter of railroad rate legislation by the
general public, including a considerable
proportion of the men interested in small
stores and small business enterprises, IS
the conclusion reached by several expert
enced newspaper correspondents who
have had occasion TO travel over CON
siderable portion of this country during
the summer This is true to a surpris-
ing extent in the Middle West, where, it
is commonly believed, or at least at
tempts are made to create the impress
sion. is located the hotbed of agitation
and demand in favor of rate legislation.
One correspondent who is entirely un-
biased in his interest in the matter, took
particular pains to make inquiries on the
subject during a trip to Colorado The
trains on which he travelled carried
many business and professional men
who willingly discussed the numerous
topics that come up among fellow travel
ers. but while each seemed to have his
particular hobby; not over half dozen
among the several hundred met here and
there had any definite opinions. Even
these were not severe in their criticism.
The usual comment was: "Why, don-t
know much about the question. I've
seen lots about it in the newspapers. bui
l haven't paid attention to it. | guess
somebody who has had his toes stepped
on has stirred up the trouble
A jobber with large business interests
in Council Bluffs. Ia, remarked, wher
it was suggested that he must feel tn,
pinch of discrimination in his line: "No
l don't have any trouble and I'm not Oh
particularly friendly terms with the rail
roads either. / find that if rate il
high to-day it usually comes down afte
awhile. Competition regulates tha
question so far as have been able Il
discover
But, I'll tell you,'' he continued, g
am interested in this tariff business
There are the rates that are fixed, AMI
fixed by the government, too. Thos
hard and fast schedules cause no end
trouble and for me, at any rate. the
are unjust"
It was noticeable that more men wer
ready to discuss the tariff and how
affects their business than any othe
question.
In Chicago conversation with perhap
a dozen men who are prospering in sinai
business enterprises revealed that the
knew almost nothing about the subjcs
Of rate regulation. They admitted see
ing numerous articles in the papers, be
one, who may be said to speak for all n
marked:
.Yes. I've noticed it's being talke
about a good deal, but haven't time
study it up. It's out of my line. NJ
business is keeping up and I don
worry
On the way west from Chicago Il
passengers discussed politics, the weat
er. health and the big crops. One ms
remarked I don't take much stock
all this talk about regulating the rate
pm in business in one of these Nebrasl
towns and can tell you the railroa
have made it and my business what
is to-day. Anybody who saw this cou
try ten or even five years ago and se
it this season can appreciate what
growth has BEEN
Denver is a great city for booming
own interests The unpublished mo-
is. keep everything and get all
more, and hundreds of business m
Wear little button-badges reading. "Sm
and Push" Many of these We're speci
" interrogated on the question Of rs
road rates. They were explosive in th
prompt assertions that: Eve want 10
4 er rates We want to get our goods
cheaper. We want to grow"
When given an opportunity to c
down, however. ali except few W
special interests admitted that their
had grown too fast already. and Il
business interests are still suffering fr
"hoom' influence. One business IA
who said he should shout for lower ra
as long as he had breath, a5mitted:
Yes: we're doing well enough for
Epresent don't know us | ought TO
NIT this ont loud. but we haven't impr
Cd our natural resources as much as
ought to- This big irrigation eHterm
ont east here is going to do great thi
for this town and there's lots coming
MS yet out of those hills4-pointing
the Rocky Mountain ranges in the Nj