The Helena independent., 1893-12-28
THEY WILL PAY OR WALK.
General Managers Agree to Issue No
Annual Passes for the Com
ing Year
An Exception, However, Is to Be
Made In Cases OF State
Legislators.
yt II . Rigid Agreement and Cuts on
Many Who Have Been Riding Frce
Hor4tofors.

The public was informed on several occa
sions recently that the general managers o
81 Paul railroads were holding meetings
and that m ore extensive meetings had beer
held in Chicago by general managers of al
roads centering there. for the purpose o.
limiting the issuance OF annual passes ans
transportation. but until the present tint
tho result Of thsss meetings has been KEPT
. profound secret. Even railroad men,
except those in general managers' offices,
are not aware to what extent annual trans
pcrtation will be limit.d n.1t year. A Pio-
nser Press reporter has secu ed condensed
copy of the Northwestern agreement which
has been sent to local general managers for
information and records, preparatory to
the issuance Of tho original copy. which
will be passed for signatures BY the parties
in inte est in the course OF day or two.
The local agreements reads as follows:
'First-Tha. We shall decline the issu-
ancs of annual. time OF trip rasses. or
other forms Of free or reduced Transports.
tion. to employees Of connecting lines, ex.
ceptinR whom requested by the president.
vice. president. general manager or general
Superintendent Of such lines; to reprssen-
tatives OF foreign lines occupying the posi-
tion Of coal sales agent or coal agent. or
those engaged in otket commercial busi-
ness; and to representatives Of refrigerato-,
tank lines and other private companies not
owned and controlled by railroad COM
psnies.
''second-Uniess special reasons therefor
are furnished the committee. exchanges of
ANNALS will not be made with railway lines
of less than twenty -6ve miles mileage (un-
less o direc. connection). and lines OF less
than 100 miles will not be granted more
shan three ANNALS.
'Third-That We shall issue no annual
passes for 1894 to the local freight agents
association. local switohmsn's association,
local yardmsstsr's association. local ticket
agsnts' association, or any other local as,o-
citation Of railroad employees now formed.
or that may hereafter be formed. in the
cities Of 81. Paul, Minneapolis. Dulnth or
bursrior, except upon formal application
of the managing officers OF she roads em-
ploying them.
s"Fourth-Ihat We shall issue no annual
or time passes to the emuloyes or agents Of
the union depots in St. Paul or Mipneap-
oils, except to the superintendents of those
depots. and that no trip passes shall be
issued to such employees, except upon the
application Of the ssupsrintsndents of those
derots."
These radical and sweeping resolutions
have been adopted by the Chicago Great
Western, the Burlington, the st. Paul &
Duluth. the Minneapolis & St. Louis.
the 500 line, the Great Northern. the
Eastern Minnesota, the Northern Pa
cifio and tho Omaha. The principle of
k~n aNfo oh
served by these roads, and the retrench-
nens in the matter of yearly transports-
tion has been vigorous. Dete: iorntion in
business. superindaoed by the general
financial depression is, no doubt, At the
bottom OF tho wholesale restriction of
time and trip passes Of every kind. But
apart from this consideration all the roads
In the country have felt for some time
that they were becoming too generous.
almoss to prod!aality. IN the dispensation
of favors to individuals and corporations.
To secure the patronage of q party q rail-
road would grant certain gratuitous trans
rortation. and to meet that competition its
competitor would grant the same or ''Ro
one better" Thus the evil began and thus
II spread. The relation of roads to their
patrons and themselves became daily more
Tho loss sustained by grant
ing princely favors per SO was Z mere item,
but the Generalization which resulted from
competition, and the otfsnss
which was given by discrimination was
considerable. The roads felt that some
uniform system must be agreed upon BY
them or the evil would never be remedisd,
and. in fact. would become so aggravated
In time that the public would virtually own
1hem.
The decision OF the general managers,
greatest general interest to the public, is
that no passes snail bs issued to shippers
or other persons in order to secure business
Compliance with this and all terms of the
agreement is largely matter OF expediencs
md honor on the part of the roads parties
hereto because no fine can be imposed for
their violation. To protect its local inter
ests soad may issue pass to small limo
which receives similar favor from no
other road. This priNlegs does not apply
10 individuals or corporations, except state
Similar agreements. almost identical In
their terms are in effect in Omaha, Kansas
City. Dsnver, st. Louis and Chicago. The
general managers OF oil lines centering
in Chicago have an association, which
meets onco a month. The present move
ment began at one of these meetings. A
popular Key note was struck. and there was
full attendance Of general managers. In
Guiding representatives. of roads not in
cluded in the association, at a meeting
=
which the nebnlous suggestions developed
into ofystailzsd resolutions. 10 facilitate
the work local committees wera appointed
At the cities mentioned. The only road
which hesitatet in adopting the agreement
was the Great Northeru, which had certain
in common with ths Union Pa
cific which might be compromised BY TAX
ing such action. This road subsequen tly CON
sented to accept the local agreemsnt, which
10 in substance the gnms as the general
agreement. and now the action il unani-
NOUS. All ordinary matters are left to the
local committees. and the local agreement
Is to be always consulted first.
-Four years ago q pass agreement of this
kind. though far less comprehensive md
infiexible, was adopted by the general man
agers and remained in effect about two
years. when it died a natural death, Ia
the case of that agreement. which really
belonged to Chicago general managers, all
matters were referred to Chairman 1t,
John, now general manager of the Rock
Island.
Ihe new movement began last spring,
when the lines east of Chicago proceeded TO
limit the issuance of passes in view Of the
Worlds fair.
Many useful gifts can be found in the dry
goods assortment at The Zee Hive.