The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-26
METHOD In THEIR MADNESS
Purpose Of the Strong Railways in
Slashing Passenger Rates This Year.
Want to Gye the Weak Lines Their Fill Of
Cheap Fares, So the Tariff Will BE Main
tanned During the Worlds Fair.

A belief prevails among people generally
that because the railroads have this year
been cutting and slashiDg rates In all di-
rections 1898 will show q greater democrat
ization. when the worlds fair draws thou
sands of people to Chicago weekly; but
+. in this idea" said q geDeral passenger
agent. they are greatly mistaken. The
roads entered into rate-cutting this year
for purpose; there was method In their
action. Never before has the passenger
department of the Pennsylvania known to
be so reckless as regards maintenance of
rates or the paying of commissions; see
how the road has been tangled MP the last
few months in the various wars. In years
past the Pennsylvania lines made it q rule
to maintain rates regardless of what COM
petitors did, but this year 1t has led Oft In
the out,rate manipulatlons: This 10
passenger agent Of the Pennsyl.
vanIa lines west of PtttsburR and of
the Vandalia, took to give weak and strong
lines their ill of low rates. The idea OF
demoralized rates in 1898 Is out of the cues
tion, and the general passenger agents
know this to be the fact. Presidents and
general managers will have something to
say before 1893 comes in. and doubtless the
general passenger agents will adjust mat
hand n the matter. Between now and
Jan. 1, the general passenger agents will
get together and adopt uniform rates Der
mile. which will do away with all this rate
cutting. as there will be no road of import
snce which will not have as much busl-
ness as 1t car provide equipments TO carry.
Eight years ago the roads went into an
iron-clad agreement and lived mp to IL for
two years. The results were highly
gratifying, and, without doubt. whom they
AZ fhor fss no faip
good common sense viii be shown In max
Ing an agreement and sustaining It."
More Charges Of Rate Cutting.
Chairman Midgley. of the Western
Freight Association, q Chicago dispatch
says, has cclled q meeting of tho traffic
managers of the Missouri river roads for
Wednesday. Sept. 4, to consider charges Of
irregularities in freight rates. For some
time il has been more than suspected that
certain roads were not living mp to their
agreementa Evidence has not been want
ing that rates were being manipulated on
grain ana other freight. not only from the
Missouri river. but also from points be-
V0nd. and the roads that have seen their
owh business fall away while that of their
competitors increased have at last dc:
manded an investigation. The principal
sufferer from the alleged Irregularities is
supposed to be the Chicago & Alton, and
IL Is generally admitted that when that
road fails to get fair share OF the traffic
from Kansas City and kindred points an
inquiry into the causeis justifiable. Com
plant Is especially made against the Atch-
ison. Topeka q Santa Fe. The stories that
were current several months ago concern
ing that roads contracts with Peavey a.
co. have been revived. together with hints
Of other transactions of an equally shady
character with shippers of live stock.
Whether any direct evidence has been pro-
1uced in support of these charges cannot
be learned. but much stress is placed upon
The statement that the Atchison 10 doing
no less than % per cent. of the business at
3 outhwesternIM Missouri river points, and
that il could not secure and retain so large
. proportion by legitimate competition.
The Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis
and one or two other lines are also included
In the charges of rate-cutting, and 1t 10
claimed that the sharp practices are ap-
piled on both east and west bound traffic.
The Monon's Report.