Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-07-12

tor said:
"This matter has no reference
whatever to the strike now in
progress in the west. 1t is some
thing that | have been thinking
about for long time, and | have
talked with my colleagues in the
senate sufficiently to find that
they are in hearty sympathy with
my effort TO cause reform in the
rates charged by the Pullman and
other sleeping car companies. |
regard these rates as simply in
famous. 1t is outrageous for us to
be compelled to pay such high
prices for such poor accommoda.
tions as we receive in our trips to
and fro about the country. They
give you a short, narrow berth, so
close and uncomfortable that in
many cases one would rather sit
up all night than submit to the in
conveniences of the compartment.
If you get lower berth and 10
one has the upper, the porter in
sists upon putting down the lid,
and so increasing your misery,
rather than giving you the bene-
fit of the air. don't know why
this is so, unless it is an effort on
the part of the company to make
their prestige all the greater and
the more uncomfortable.
II regard the Pullman company
and sugar trust as the2 most out
rageous monopolies Of the day.
They make enormous profits and
give their patrons little or nothing
in return in proportion. 1t is
perfectly clear TO me that there is
way to reach the sleeping car
problem with ease through gov.
ernment action. States have in
many instances adopted regula-
tions Intended to reduce the evil
of extortionate charges on the RAIL
roads. but there are few, if any,
railroads that run sleepers through
but one state, and thus they are of
no avail, for no state Gao regulate
any corporation, beyond its own
limits. For instance, in Ohio we
make an effort to control this mat.
ter, but the railroads have always
found a way to avoid the law.
The United States can easily con-
troll the charges for sleepers, just
as the railroad fares have been
regulated by means OF the inter
state commerce law. / believe
that that act has been amply en-
forced, without very much trouble,
and / can see no reason why a
similar act should not be passed
with reference to the sleeping car
problem. A bill of a dozen lines
would suffice, fixing the rate per
mile to be charged by these COM
panies and providing a penalty for
overcharging.
TO CUT THE RATES IN TWO.
~ think the rates should be
reduced one half. The Pullman
company, for instance, Is very
rich, made so by the enormous
and disproportionate profits on
their cars. With half that profit
the company could make a great
deal Of money, and give the public
better service. Perhaps you don't
know, but it is, nevertheless, a fact,
that the Pullman company charges
each railroad running its cars &c a
mile for every car, and this goes
into the pockets OF the Pullmans,
in addition to the rates paid by
the passengers. For instance, be.
tween New York and Chicago the
railroad pays about $40 for each
sleeper run, and the Pullman COM
pany gets several times that sum
in addition from the public That
$50 paid by the railroad is count
ed into the running expenses OF
the road, and is eventually paid
by the passenger in the fare he
gives for his ride. So the traveller
pays twice, in reality, for his
questionable accommodations on
board a sleeper. | feel these
heavy rates myself, frequently,
for when we 60 out TO our home in
Ohio, we have to pay for my wife,
my daughter and myself as much
for sleeper rates as for the entire
railroad fares. The berths are so
close and uncomfortable that we
have to spread out over a good
deal Of space in order to avoid be
ing made i'll by the journey.
"Then, too, think the system
Of tipping the employees Of the
company should be discontinued.
II is a small matter in the indi-
vidual case, but it is an extorLion
to pay the porter for each trip you
take. The trouble is that these
men are not paid enough by the
company. If they were paid
adequate salaries the passengers
would not be obliged to come for
ward 10 help them out. | really
think the men need the money in
most cases, and | always give be.
cause | don't want TO feel or to
appear mean about the matter.
There is a sort Of compulsion
about it, though, that is very dis
agreeable, and il could all be
avoided
10 BE REGULATED BY c0NGREss.
"These points, of course. are all
TO be gone over by the committee
on interstate commerce, which will
probably take up the matter as
soon as Senator Butler returns
from the south. | don't know
how long he will be gone, but |
know that this matter has already
met with the APPROVAL Of a large