The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-05-15

entail basis, and that this arrange
ment will be made effective as soon
as through tariffs and divisions can
be worked out, and the necessary nj
ing and publishing OF tariffs, required
by the interstate commerce law, com
pleted.
IF we are 20 believe that further
consultations of railroads which, like
these, are now monopolies within the
large territories they serve, are 10
result in misfortunes to their custom
ers through the raising Of Transports
tiOn rates and the decrease OF facil-
tiles furnished, then something or
this kind ought 10 have happened dur
ing the period within which these var
iOus consultations have taken place.
Fortunately, we have at hand. r.
the published reports OF the Massa'
chuserts railroad commission. huffi-
ciently full data upon which 10 found
correct opinion. In 1873, the aver
age freight rate per ton mile receiy-
ed by the railroads operating In Mass
achusctts was 0l92, but in the year
1907 IL had fallen, through natural
causes and not because Of legislation
fixing or affecting rates, 10 Ol.l9. Dur
ing the same period the average rate
received per passenger per mile de-
crcaser from O21S TO 0lG5, and from
like causes. II the railroads operat-
ing In Massachusetts had received,
during 1907, the same rate per ton
mile for freight transported, and the
same rate per mile for passengers car
ried, their combined income would
have been $50,OOO,OO0 greater than 1t
was at the lower rates charged dur
ing that year
Each Has No Competition.
"The Boston & Maine so controls
the traffic OF northern New England,
and the New York & New Haven that
OF southern New England, that each
is practically without competition In
its territory, and each is, therefore, a
monopoly in that territory. Is 1t rea-
sonabe to suppose that further com
bination OF the interests OF these two
systems will produce results different
or more unfavorable to their custom
ers than those that have hitherto
come about friom the monopolistic
control that each is fully exercising in
its own territory?
"Self-interest governs In the admin
tration of railroads as 1t does In 9TH
er business enterprises. and that self
interest is best taken care OF in a
railroad as IL is elsewhere, b" en-
larging its income through the great
est enlargement OF its facilities and
the establishment OF such reasonable
and fair rates as will tend TO create
new industries and to stimulate and
enlarge those already in existence. II
is clear, from the figures presented,
that this policy has governed the OPP
Grafton and management OF all the
New England railroads during the
past 20 years. Is there any reason to
suppose that a further unification OF
New England's railroad interests will
introduce methods other than those
that have been so successfully used
by our existing railroad monopoies?
Much has also been said about
the competitive relations of the Bos-
ton 4 Maine and New Haven sys-
tens, and an endeavor has been made
to show that competition of real val
ue actually exists between many
parts OF the two systems. Tariffs
have been exhibited showing that at
certain common points notations ap-
pear indicating that rates from COM
mon points are governed by compet
tive conditions and are considerably
lower than rates for corresponding
traffic from intermediate points. The
references to the tariffs are correctly
made, but the inferences drawn from
them are iilusiepary and unwarranted
systems has, by the provisions OF the
interstate commerce law. been rem.
dered absolutely impossible, and the
fact that this law permits two rail.
roads operating at common points TO
adopt the same rates of transporta.
tion to other common points has no
bearing whatever upon this statement
OF a well.known fact
These notationS upon freight tar.
IFS only indicate that rates from com.
mon points, made by one system bas.
ed upon its short line distances and
produced in conformity with its sys.
tenn Of tariff-making, may be adopted
by any other railroad extending from
like common points 10 other common
points, even though IL be lower than
thar roads rates from contiguous and
Intermediate territory.
Rate Fight Has Ended.
Il think no one knows better than
those who are engaged in the shin
ment of merchan~ise to and from New
England territory that rate competi
tiOu between our railroads has not
only definitely ceased. but Is. Ivy law
now made practically impossible: and
| also think they know that the al