The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-12
RAILROAD MO-
NOPLY AT WORK
Efforts Made to Re-establish
Unfare Rate
SOUTHERN PORTS SUFFER
II Discriminary Rates Are Re-
established in Favor of North
ern Ports

Washington, Jan 9.--Word has
reached Washington through authori-
tative channels that a concerted plan
TO smash existing export freight rates
from the west and middle west to
South Atlantic and Gulf ports has
been uncovered. The effect of abol-
ishtng the present railroad rates
would not only be detrimental. il is
claimed. to shippers north OF the Ohio
river and east OF the Mississippi, but
would blast the commercial hopes of
-orts on the Gulf and South Atlantic
coast and restore the blight that rest.
ed upon them for fifty years follow
ing the civil war
Evidence OF plans by eastern trunk
line railroads TO move in concert
againat the present export rates has
been produced In the form Of u let
ter from a president OF one Of the
large eastern trunk lines which taps
the middle west
The existing export rates. put into
eject by tho now extinct Cniteo -ates
railroad administration In December.
1919, for he first time In more than
half a century put the South Atlantic
and Gulf ports on an equal footing
resulted in the upbuilding OF ten
points OF outlet In the south and
southwest for American shipping
originating in the Middle West and
West.
AS o. result of the railroad admin
istration's action which wfSed out
the ,theretofore existing discrimina-
tory, and In many cases prohibitive,
nnrt 90 a
wosternk points TO South Atlantic and
Gulf ports. the freight congestion at
New York and other North Atlantic
ports. which for time threatened
the success of Americas war activ-
tiles. was relieved and for the first
time In fifty years manufacturers i'm
territory producing more than sixty
per cent OF tho manufactured pro-
tlucts, of the country were given the
option Of routing their export goods
through my Atlantic gateway from
lfaine TO Gulf ports,
The Cult ports which have been
strengthened or developed under the
policy OF equality of rates are New
Orleans. Galveston. Houston, Mobile
and Pensacola. while on the South
Atlantid coast Wilmington, n. c.,
AitotNii' ~ ~ pt'uiindH, IRA,
Brunswick. Ca, and Jacksonville,
Fla. have materially increased their
export activities.
Disin;ercsted advocates of a great
American merchant marine have gem
orally approved the equal opportun-
ity for development afforded all At
lantic ports-both north and south
through the medium OF the rates es.
tablished more than a year ago but
despite the evident fairness of the ex-
isting tariff on export. so far as ship
ping out.-ts are concerned. the east
ern railroad trunk lines. through
their corporate officers. have for some
time indicated disposition to cancel
the present rates and return to the
rate schedules which for years gave
the so-called eastern bottle neck" a
decided advantage over tho South At
lantic and Gulf ports.
A letter from the president OF one
or the great eastern trunk lines, re-
Gently received here. revealed the
purpose OF the eastern roads to at
tack thef export rates now in effect.
This letter as the only frank an
swer to Inquiries addressed to all
executives Of the trunk lines, the 9TH
er railroad heads who wero interro-
gated apparently evading the ques-
uon or protesting ignorance OF any
plant 20 contest he existing sched-
ulcs.
The railroad president who ac-
.knowlcdgcd that a movement was on
foot 10 return to the old order I'm
effect said that the action would be
taken or the theory that the present
rates were unfair To the eastern ports.
"Thc matter is now unSrr investi-
cation" he said. with "a View To pre-
senting the subject to- the Interstate
y commerce commission" He pointed
out that the officers OF tho eastern
railroads had protested against the
action OF the railroad administration
In establishing the present rates and
intimated that the protest would soon
be renewed with vigor
a previous protest from the east
ern railroad executives was disap-
proved by Walker II. Hines while he
' was director general OF raiiwsvs.
Mr.. Hines. himself forinely connect
ed with one OF the L.g trunk lines.
1 held that there was no justice i'm
the complaint OF tho eastern roads
and particularly dismissed the con-
tenton that rates were dscrimina-
tory on n mileage basis.
In n letter To Daniel Willard. pres
Wetst OF tn Baltimore Il Ohio rail-
02ad and at that time chairman of
committee of railroad presi-
y In eastern classification terri
kwritten November &c, 1919, Mr..
said:
<ern railroads have no good
for objection on the basis of
~ the distance to Canadian
Kery considerably greater
outh Atlantic and Gulf
preceded this conclu-