The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-10-21
Work for the Central Passenger Com.
mittee,

mtttee.
The Central passenger committee
will hold Its October meeting at the
Southern tomorrow, says tho Globe.
Democrat Of Sunday morning, when
matters OF considerable Importance will
be presented for the committee to I'D
just--if they can BIO adjusted-the most
important Of which will be to ascor
tain whether or not tho COMMITTEES il
strong enough TO enforce its own by
laws. About the first thing tho COM
mittee did after effscting a permanent
organization was to adopt q penal rule
which contemplated a fine
OF $50 for each violation
OF tho agreement to main
tain the authorized schedule OF rates.
A good many fines have boon assessed
since the rule was adopted, but In
many cases the offending lines have
failed 10 pay their fines, and there
seems to DO no way to compel them Ia
do 30, for should the matter be pushed
TOO far these lines would Withdraw
from the committee and thus break III
the organization. On the iother hand,
II line members are to be left to deter.
mine for themselves whether fines
imposed by the committee as o whole
are just and should be paid,
little good can BIO expected to
come OF these monthly meetings. At
me september meeting, held ut
Louisville, Fines aggregating about
81 GOO were imposed upon lines that did
not pretend to deny their guilt, or IL
they, did 1t was In way that went TO
confirm the truthfulness OF the charge
and the Justice Of the penalty inflicted,
but for all that only very small per
cent. of these fines have been paid, and
1t 10 not likely that any more will bo
secured. Thus tho committee is
powerless to enforce its own rules, de-
pending entirely upon tho honesty of
each individual limo menu
Der to keep the faith, and
past experience has shown that that
Kind OF security Is exceedingly unre.
liable. At the Same time, il will DO
admitted that, as q rule, rates have
been better maintained under the
Central Passenger committee than un-
der any former organization. Never
theless, 1t will continue to rest upon a
very slippery foundation, with the
chances largely In favor of being
wrecked, unless something Ia done 10
enable the committee to enforce rules
and regulations Of its own making for
Its own government.
There Is another matter to DO settled
tomorrow with which tho committee
proper will have nothing tn do, al.
though line members representing the
st. Louis easl-bound passenger road =
will have all to do with II. Ithas beer
an open secret for some weeks thai
tho July ID agreement was giving any,
thing but satisfaction, and that It WAS
being observed only because OF 10,
morrow's meeting, al which 1t Is hoped
that q basis would DO established rec
ognizing dillereutlals for all the lines
az against the Pennsylvania, on New
York business. The Wabash wants
differential OF at least Sc as
against the Vandalia, whilo the Ohio
u Mississippi demands that the right
be accorded to it to sell as low az tho
owest, and the Beo Line contends that
IL should have an open rate OF sol ii
tho Pennsylvania quotes so, and that
that difference should be recognized
whatever the agreed rate may be.
inc general PASSENGER agent OF the
Pennsylvania Line, Wost, Is on record
In hundred places ~ opposing the
principle OF diiferentials, and 1t Is un.
derstood that he will DO moro deter.
mined than oyer at to-morrow's meet.
Ing to resist all demands OF that kind,
From this II would seem that the Bec
Line, Wabash and Ohio & Mississipnj
Will have to back down and take their
dish OF crow or fight.