New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-07
RATES no md IN CHIC1GO.

The report that railroad managers arc con-
sidcring the advantage OF further reduction
in passenger rates on account OF the Nofin
Fair is welcome When they determined last
wear to lower fares only slightly much dIs>a'l'-
faction was expressed and, as we thought. just
". Certainly it had been expected that liberal
Inducements to travel would be offered, and this
expectation was not unreasonable i'll view OF
the usual practice of railroads on occasions iar
les important. But the Importance, the cX-
traordinary character, Of this occasion seems,
in point of fact, to have been one of the main
considerations which led the railroad managers
TO keep their rates almost up to The regular
schedule. One of them rather bluntly cX-
pressed the view which presumably many others
took of the situation. lie said that the rail
roads were not operated for fun, and that those
in charge of them did not propose to Lose thc
chance of making great deal of money or'
Of the Worlds Fair. We venturcd T. suggest
az the time that liberal policy was popular
policy, that popularity generally played an I'M
nortant part in the production of rcycnuc, and
that could not be left altogether ont OF ac-
count in the reckoning Of net profit. II now
appcsrs that the opinion j, gaining ground
among railroad men that they have made their
rates too high, and large reduction Is under
di.cussion
Their view OF the matter is being changed
by observation. Two facts are obvious and
acknowledged One is that the Worlds Fair
is on the whole better worth seeing than was
any OF its predecessors. The other is that not
nearly so many persons are gong TO see 1t a.
were expected. Tho plain inference is that un-
foreseen obstacles are preventing the attend
ance upon which financial calculations we're
based, and railroad managers have begun to
suspect that ono Of these obstacles has been
imposed by them lnasmuch as the Fair can
not 90 to the people it is exceedingly desirable
to get the people 10 go to the Fair, and per-
haps the most effecua means to that end
would BIO tho induccmcnt OF low rates. At all
events, that is what a great number OF persons
think, for letters arc pouring into the railroad
Offices from all parts Of the country. The facts
cannot fail to DO Illuminating 70 the trans
portation companies In expectation OF an
immense traffic they have expended great
amount of money on new rolling stock during
the last year, and if they must wait for the
normal increase of traffic to bring it into use
their investment will be costly one. They
want passengers now, and they are likely be-
fore long to take steps TO procure what they
want.
A reduction of railroad rates would doubt
less stimulate attendance at the Fair, but this
may not be all that is required to start an i'm
men.e tide Of travel toward Chicago A multi
tude of persons with whom low fares would
be an important consideration might still hest
tate to make the journey through fear OF cx-
tortion at the end of it. 1t is not uncharitable
to say that tho keepers Of hotels, boarding
houses and restaurants in Chicago put their
prices too high at the outset, for the fact has
been candidly proclaimed by the Chicago news
PAPERS and to some extent made the subject III
action on the part Of the Fair managers. This
disposition to ovcrchargc has been, we believe,
corrected in a measure, but prices are in gen
| oral still too high to be alluring. No doubt
| those inhabitants OF Chicago who hope to de-
rive direct pecuniary profit from the Exhibi-
ton are exceedingly anxious to have the rail
| road companies reduce their rates, but what
ever claims to fair treatment the public may
| feel dispo.od to make are as binding upon them
as upon anybody. IL moral consideration Is
| involved it applies to them. And leaving
morals out Of the case, we cannot believe that
they will find their largest possible advantage
in refusing to contribute to tho attractions
which Chicago has to offer.