The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-10-05

For the last six or seven years one
frequently sees reference in the
press or overhears snatches of con-
versation relating to Baltimore's "dif-
fcrentiaIs." TO the uninitiated diff
ferential" might be some strange, un-
tanned animal, but to the sophisticated
and to the large manufacturer cast
ing about for either a change in the
location Of his industry or for n site
for the location Of new industry the
word "differential' has q very impor-
tant meaning, provided It is accom-
panied by the words "in favor Of
and not higher than"
A differential literally means diff
ference, and in railroad parlance
means certain amounts either higher
or lower than rates between several
cities, so that when we hear men
ton made of BaItimore's differen-
tails it simply means that reference is
being made to the fact that Balti-
more is so situated geographically
ana NOlIllIlti OldIlN l!ldl lIllS 4OI &C Vi
advantage has been utilized to the
fullest extent. and that for both geo
graphical and commercial reasons the
/ carriers serving Baltimore have found
Il necessary to recognize thia force to
the extent of providing rate adjust
ments from and to Baltimore that are
! less than the rates published from OF
to cities neighbors and competitors OF
, Baltimore.
| Always Guarded jealousy.
These differentials have always been
guarded ieal0usly when they pro-
| vide a rate adjustment as favorable as
| is enjoyed by Baltimore, and several
| lengthy battles have been waged by
| commercial organizations Of other cit
| les to wrest them from her, but the
Interstate Commerce Commission has
in every instance, upheld the city 9
right to them, and only recently, il
Will no doubt he recalled. Jersey City,
n. J.. attacked them in a proceeding
/ before the Interstate Commerce Com
| mission, only to have it's claim re
| jected.
! Differentials are Of several kinds
but SO far as Baltimore is concerned
we may mention only two-the raj
and water and the all rail or port diff
| ferentials. In the case of the rail-and-
water rates from Baltimore, and in
! Guided in this group. comes the rail
! and-lake rates, but differences or diff
| ferentials are made by subtraCting
| from the standard all-rail rates GER
| tain figures on each class, providing a
| line of lower rates for this character
! Of movement: as, for illustration, IT
! the case OF the rail-and- water rates
! from Baltimore to points in the South
| east there is almost always uniformly
| applied what is known as a 12-Cent
differential scale-that is to say, thai
the first class rate is generally l.
cents less when by the way of rail anG
water than by the way of all rail. anC
in the case of port differentials, where
| the advantages Of the city have beer
| recognized, as they are recognized
! the rates from Baltimore have in
practically every instance, except IN
such cases as might be termed purely
| local, been made differential scales
! less than the rates from Boston, New
| York and Philadelphia to other sec
| tions of the country; as. for example
on westbound business Baltimore en-
joys an Scent scale of differentials tt
| Chicago under New York, and or
| eastbound business the rates are ad
| iusted on a Scent differential scale
from Chicago to Baltimore, while il
| the adjustment Of the rates to the