New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-11
WARNING BIZ GR0SSCUP.
r. r. RATES DISCUSSED.
Presidents Policy Subject at Eco.
uomic Gibbs Dinner at Boston.

soe.o, March lo-"The Presidents Railroad
po1icv- was the general subject IF discussion az
s.,.-- ~ the Economic Club. OF Boston IN the
.,,,. -oo-r ~ the Exchange Club tonight The
--.,o4-sI sneakers were Judge Peter s Cirosscun
- chicago: President David Wilcox of the Della
80 and Hudson Railroad Company and
r-rs-4as A Prouty. Interstate Commerce Commits
.so,s- Each commented al length on President
rsoossvelts views regarding the regulation of inter
.+ate commerce rates. Following the speeches
there was q general discussion. during which
numerous fnte-rogatories were put the chief
sneske-s OF the evening. Who replied
Edward J. Fiene presided. and two hundred mem
hers and guests were present. Mr.. Prouty defended
she proposed national legislation and referring 10
,he criticism that legislators were not always com
-s,snt business men. said that while a certain
sroo.nt Of expert knowledge was necessary in the
roper regulation OF railroad tariffs, the questions
- - decided though requiring good judgment were
not difficult Of comprehension TO one habtuaIy en-
cared il hearing them.
Nr Wilcox vigorously opposed the interference of
.be government in the rate question. and declared
Il impossible for q small body Of men at Washing
Ton properly dictate what the railroad rates Of
he country should be The remedy for existing
evils lay he said, in thorough enforcement of the
present statutes Judge Grosscup said in part:
Whatever may be its legal status a policy Of dis
community rates that are refused to the Balance
Of that community or 10 certain communities
Of irjustice-unjust both 10 the persons and com
n
people OF the mica states as an entirety. II is none
Inc less unjust that the means used to accomplish
rebates are as unjust direct differences in rates
AFTangenenis by which the private cars of par
stantaiy 0yerneasures the capital invested bv the
shipper in such cars and arrangements TO divide
rates with shippers who pretend TO be operatjnp
independent railroads that. in fact, are only
s.o thess and al 90 Other d 5ss4sA Of
IKE Ting Whether if r Observation-Disclosures 10 Inc i6 d OF
ny crcumlocuLoH- Is IN the fact that one set of
market al cost tfst competitxe sbtgDeT c lno
not obtain And this injustice one that 1t is the
r. roads the nation that in these DAYS of small
profits rUrns the fortunes of the contest % S'a''
Now, ~ these days Of universal commerce. the
rates charged by the railroads are one OF the con
succeed or fail To q very substantial extent, too
these rates are conduons authorized by the nation
Itself Tor the railroads are the nations carriers
and within the nations reasonable control So
taa any olerelice IN rates permitted by law, even
though based on the bulk Of the tonnage handled
81 the principle that every man whatever his
present business size. shall be given equal condi-
op.e IS 70 destroy competition and further coneen-
NJ one. II seems 10 me-. o. ght to be deeply
-5 s5 n 'ne agitation nov g3ng on than the
80 fer as i is agitation-Is ag 4inst the
railroads The agitation is against abuses that
have grog-R up. with which the railroads ara con-
necteo The farmer. for instance. is not tie enemy,
naturally Of the railroads He recognizes in the
Talroac TIE strong arms that DID him and his
interests close TO the threpoing pulse Of the world s
activities Nor Is the the railroad E
eua-1E- naturally. the merchant. the sane
minded public. The only natural enemy of the
railroad Is that class VINO toll neither do they
spin, declining TO take themselves even the ex-
eruon Of the lily that draws its nourishment from
ne earth-that class whose enmty does not stop
with the railroad. but will be satisfied only wher
rot ore stone Is left the top of another in the
whole structure IF private property
Nor Is the agitation new It was not new eigh,
teen years ago. when the Interstate Commerce bill
vas passed What is new in the present agitation
Is that AZ its head is the President of the United
States. What is in the present agitation is
that the people Of the United states regardless OF
their interest individually shippers have come
70 look TIE subject 4 national concern. And
vFat Is new in the present agitation. and full Of
danger. too. is that from its being question OF
the proper relation Of the railroads IN the public
business and political principles il may become
movement under cover OF which the social and
political revoltionists Will push forward their
Es1lr the present order Of American institutions
Already they are climbing over the wheels into
our conservative Presidents wagon. determined to
ride Just far he is compelled TO carry them
On MS way a Just solution Of this problem. Al
ready they claiming this whole movement
their movement Herein lies the embarrassment
and the peril Of the President Right here. too
that grim menace. that no friend of the in
stitUtior of private property anywhere can afford
'rlres