Year: 1873

The railroad officials and capitalists.


recently returned from Chicago. in.


cline to favorable view, or, perhsps,


think that the bad effects now antici


pated are not likely to be realized.


The interests Of the Companies and


the people are too closely identified to


permit the latter to carry on tho war


against the former to any very extent.


The injurious results Of hasty legisla-


tion will be modified by . sober Sec
ond thought, which will enable the
farmers and producers to comprehend
that blow against the transportation
interests will react upon themselves.
thus leading to more moderate views
and more rational laws.


In Illinois, Co.'S. have resolved not to
resort to litigation. This resolution
Is to be regretted. It Is a new and
ominous feature that any interest, no
matter how weak or powerful, should
be SO overborne by the public clamor
and manifest such want Of confidence
In the administration of public justice
as to forego what they regard as their
legal rights OF redress. and obey what
they believe to be an unjust law rather
than contest its validity.


The pro rata bill will virtually pro-
duce results directly contrary to the
spirit and intent law, as short par.
allied lines will be enabled to advance
their rates. to the injury Of the compe-
ting routes. The law will operate
most unfavorably on the great through
lines, and compel them, as means OF
retaining their through business, to
reduce the local or way rates to meet
the competition Of the short roads, or
else they must abandon the through
business altogether and make up for
the dificiences thus induced by advan-
cling the rates to the maximum amount
permitted by law. In either case. the
farmers are more likely to be injured
than benefited, are likely to find out
that the ultimate effect Of their anti
discriminating act will be to discrim-
mate against American In favor OF
foreign bread-stufs in the grain mar
kets Of the world.


The law will operate with considera-
BILE severity on Illinois companies,
which only lease the connecting lines
across Iowa to the Missouri River.
Companies, however, owning the con-
Meeting lines can transport goods
across Iowa for nothing II they like,
and make up their loss under the ILL.,
nois act-a circumstance which speaks
volumes as to the absurdity OF that
law. But companies leasing their
lines on per centage of gross earnings
are placed at a disadvantage. as are
also still other Illinois companies
which have special contracts with
Iowa lines.


The great object OF freight agents
will be to redistribute rates 80 q to
prevent any net losses to the Com pam
les under the new law. When this
shall be effected. the people of Illinois
will find that they were more favored
than otherwise by the enterprise and
competition Of the great railroad COM
panies. 1t is likely that Illinois farm
ers may be compelled to pay moro on
local freight, while deprived Of the
present compensating advantages on
through transportation. It is also
probable that the West ,oM for some
time to come be compelled to build its
oUn railways aOithout help from, out
side parties. 1t is getting to be exceed
ing difficult to induce Eastern capital
lists to invest in new roads in the West.


Pending the issue capital will be shy
and reserved, and only new enterpris-
es Of undoubted advantage will be
y. Bulletin.