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Extract from Manchuria Daily News of the 1st May, 1914.
REDUCED FREIGHT RATES FOR SPECIFIC
THROUGH GOODS.
On Mukden-Antung Line,
The question pivoting upon the reduced freight rates for the specific through goods on the Mukden-Antung Line has had a denouement of the gravest character.
As noticed in our yesterday's issue, Dr. R. Nomura (President of the S.M. R. Co.) now in Tokyo, withdrew on Wednesday the application to sanction the proposed reduction of railway rates from Dairen and from Yingkon simultaneously with the introduction of the new freight tariffs for the specific through imports from Japan over the Mukden-Antung Line. Later advices explain that, upon the withdrawal of this application, another application to postpone the operation of the new reduced rates on the Mukden-Antung But we are Live which was to take effect on this date was filed by President Nomura, informed to our disappointment that this was also refused by the Imperial Government Railways. It is now evident that, whilst the Central Government means in good earnest on one hand to give effect to the reduced through freight rates on the Mukden-Antung Line on this date according to the settled arrangement, it coolly denies the S.M.R. Co., the very same condition on which the Company gave its consent to the Mukden-Autung Line proposition.
We may give two interpretations to this strange course of action on the part of the Imperial Government Railways.
It may be ascribed either to the assumption of dictatorial authority over the S.M.R. Co. by the Supervisor of the S.M.R. Co., which post had been held by Mr. S. Furukawa (Vice-President of the Imperial Government Railways) till yesterday on which day he was superseded by Mr. S. Nakanishi (Director of the same Railways); or to the conscious breach of the engagement made with the S.M.R. Co.
In case of either of the two interpretations being the motive that prompted the Supervisor in his strange step, the consequences would be equally disastrous to
the S.M.R. Co.
In the former case, it would practically mean depriving the Company of its own voice, even in questions of the most vital interests, as the present issue under notice is. In other words it would spell the abrogation of the Company's autonomy. Supposing that it may some day please the fancy of the Supervisor to shift the Head Office of the Railway Company from Dairen to Mukden, the Company would be compelled to do the bidding no matter what sacrifices it may have to embrace. The Company, with its enormous financial assets, has hitherto been looked up to by the Japanese in South Manchuria as the mainspring of their economical activities. But if the above interpretation should be correct, its glory
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would be a mere memory of the past, and it would be relegated to a puppet on the palm of the Supervisor.
Outsiders may be naturally curious to know what an important personage this Supervisor is. The sudden change of the incumbent at this psychological moment seems significant. What made the change advisable is more than we can conjecture. But the fact remains that this post, which is invested with authority over the S.M.R. Co. has been taken off from the Vice-President and assigned to a Director of the Imperial Government Railways. What can have actuated the Government is still another mystery to us.
In the latter case, what must be the state of mind of one who is expected to wait on the caprices of a master who has not the least scruple in deliberately breaking promises?
Both ways of interpreting the unaccountable position of the Central Government, as above-mentioned, sounds so incredible and so unbecoming of the Central Government that a level-headed observer will be led to look for the true motive in some other quarters.
Can it be possible that the body of political influence which the retired members of the S.M.R. Co. represented has been at active work as a Nemesis to the new Directorate of the Company?
At all events it remains undisputed that the S.M.R. Co. does not belong to any political organization, but to the whole of the Japanese nation by rights, and that the great mission of the Company should never be suffered to be hampered or retarded by any political organization or organizations which are ready to adopt any questionable means to serve their selfish ambition.
The question at issue is a purely domestic one, which may be considered as outside the province of this journal. But we constitute ourselves a friend and sympathizer of justice and righteousness, and when any individual or organisation of whatever nationality, however powerful it may be, dares to trample upon the just and righteous, nothing in the world can muzzle us to stifle our cry against any such iniquity.
PROGRESS OF THE QUESTION EXPLAINED.
Mr. N. Inuzuka and Mr. K. Tsukuda (Directors of the S.M.R. Co.) asked the prominent members of the Dairen Business Men's Association and the Dairen Residents' Council to come to the General Offices this morning, when the force of circumstances leading to the introduction of the reduced railway rates for the specific through imports over the Mukden. Antung Line only was explained and the Company's plans how to make the best of the awkward developments of the situation were unfolded,
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