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Show ..UlLKOAD DEMORALIZATION. yesterday began the meeting of the presidents aud general managers of railroads at which the demoralization of western rates and traffio will probably form one ' of the liveliest topics of discussion.- There is a strange divergence diverg-ence of opinion regarding the condition of things. The New York Sun thinks it is due to the criminal course of high officials in managing the railroads for their own personal gain utterly regardless regard-less of the interests of the , stockholders who have no voice in the control of their own property. In the south, the Sun argues, where the owners manage their own roads, there are practically no rate wars although the volume of trade is inoomparably smaller than in the west. - Mr. Walker, the chairman of the Interstate In-terstate commerce committee, has published pub-lished a statement for the information of the meeting now held, advising the formation of central freight and ticket agencies at each competing point, these agencies to be maintained by each of t the competing roads, believing that by this means expenses can be materially reduced and a "fair division of traffic secured at paying rales. . , 'Against this arrangement it is claimed that the idea underlying this suggestion is contrary to the law, being nothing 'more . than tho re-establishment of the pooling system sys-tem under a pew name. ' Another authority volunteers the advice ad-vice that the railroads consolidate. But that has been done, a number of small and practically bankrupt roads being thus eliminated, but' the situation does not seem to have been materially improved im-proved by these exclusions, s The Omaha Bee, a rabid anti-monopoly organ, urges as a Solution of the vexed question tho strict enforcement of the interstate law, while on the other hand tho Boston Herald deems this course an impracticable one, as the law cannot be enforced. It says it is pretty clear that the interstate ' commerce commission is becoming an inoperative body, not "through lack of ability, but because it has been asked to attempt the impossible. Under the system laid down by law, an honestly conducted railroad, by faithfully observing legal requirements, would probably see a large part of its business pass into tho control of its less scrupulous rivals; and with human nature as it is, it is hardly likely that such a drain upon Its resources would bo long permitted. " So that between the devil and the deep sea we four managers and presidents presi-dents now in session will have some difficulty dif-ficulty in saving themselves. |