The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-01-11
TRAFFIC OFFICIALS TESTIFY
QUESTIONED ON STlFLlNG OF
COMPETITION.
U. p. ONLY A LINK IN THE CHAIN
Traffic Manager Stubs Tells Inter.
state Commerce Commission It
Never Was Competitor Of the
Southern Pacific.

Never was Competitor OF the
Southern Pacific.
Chicago, Jan. lO.-Two attorno US
representing the government maze Z
termined efforts to induce two trahiC
managers OF trans.Continental rail
roads to admit that a concentration
of ownership means the sitting OF
competition in railroad traffic. The
attorneys were Messrs. Severance and
Kellogg and the traffic managers were
J. G. Stubs of the Southern Pacific.
Union Pacific systems and j. NJ Han.
naford of the Northern Pacific rail.
road Both men contended that de.
spite the consolidation of interests
that has taken place between the
Union Pacific and the Southern Pa.
Cilc and between the Northern Pacific
and the Great Northern, competition
between the lines which are under the
ownership is as sharp today as it
ever was. The examination Of Mr.,
SIUJs covered all points connected
with the history and tranic arrange.
m.uts Of the Southern Pacific, Union
Pacific, Central Pacific and many OF
Tie allied lines which are now under
tho control of E. II. Hartman Mr.
Subbs asserted from first TO last that
the Union Pacific never had been an
active competitor of the Southern Pa
tIGc on California business for the
reason that it had no outlet beyond
Ogd over its own rails direct to
California. Such competition he said
as had existed between the two roads
in the past is still in existence.
The Union Pacific, he claimed, is
but a link in the transportation be-
tween the Missouri river and Califor
MIA and not separate and independ
ent line. In his opinion it never had
occupied the latter position so far as
through traffic was concerned.
When asked if he did not believe
that railroad which has a large sur
dends is not in position to favor the
public with lower rates than 1t has
in effect at the present time, Mt
Stubs, with considerable feeling,
said that If the Union Pacific was the
road under consideration he would
urge the members of the interstate
commerce commission and their at
torneys to remember that while the
Union Pacific may be prosperous now,
its stockholders had experienced many
lean years" and that there was no
human guarantee that the present sat
isfactory conditions in railroad traffic
throughout the country would be in.
definitely maintained.
Upon the subject of competition Mr.,
Stubs declared it was not possible
for this to be done, no matter who
owned the parallel lines under consjd'
Grafton Subordinates, with reputa
tons to make or to sustain would
work for the interests of their lines
against all other lines and cOmpeti'
ton must therefore i\nvitably follow.
He asserted that James J. Hill, while
probably the leading railroad man in
the country, could not abolish compe.
tition between the Northern Pacific
and the Great Northern because of the
personal spirit of the men he EN-
ploys. "If Mr. Hill takes that spirit
out of his men," said Mr.. Stubs, with
much emphasis, "he might as well
hand the management OF his railroads
over to a 500 clerk"
Mr.. Hannarord expressed similar
views regarding competition.