Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-27
RATES IN SLEEPERS.
A Congressman Who Gets Pack at the
Upper Berth.
War on Sleeping Car Raies-No Pullman Car
Passes Passed Around.

bill lately introduced in the house by Mr..
Fielder Of New Jersey is attracting much
attention, though it is not believed it will
be pressed for passage at this session. It
provides that passengers shall not be
charged more than one-half cent mile for
lower Steering car berths and one-third Of
cent u mile for upper berths. 1t pro-
yidcs also that not more than one half a
cent mile shall be charged for seat in
n parlor car. OF course such law as this,
If passed, would apply only to interstate
commerce. congress not having power to
regulate traffic within state. But nearly
all sleeping car travel Is interstate. In
very few instances do passiengers take
sleeping cars on journeys wholly confined
within the borders Of d siEglestate. There
is some such travel between New York
and Buffalo, between Philadelphia and
Pittsburg, between Cleveland and Cincin-
nati, between st. Louis and Kansas City
and other points situated within state.
But 1t is estimated bg Mr.. Fielder and
others who have studied the question tha5
not more than 2 per cent OF all sleeping
car traffic is OF this nature. 1t Is generally
agreed by members Of the interstate com
mercc committee of the house, to which
this bin was referred, that ratios are much
too high. Between New York and Wash
ington, distance Of 1886 miles and a run
of only seven hours by the night trains,
one must pay So for berth, either upper
or lower. The average rate for sleeping
ears throughout the country must be about
throe-fourths of Il cent per mile, for either
upper or lower berths Travellers complain
bitterly at the high rates Between Chi
cago and Washington or New York and
Chicago, for instance, one must still pay
50 for berth. This rate was fixed when
most trains consumed two nights and a
day in the journey. Now very few trains
use moro than one night, and ninc-tcnths
Of all the sleeping car travel is on these
faster trains. 1t actually costs tho Pull |
man company less to run car from New
York or Washington than it did formerly,
and yet the rates are the same.
No Pullman Passes.
In referring to this subject of sleeping
car rates u few days ago metropolitan
newspaper said nothing could be hoped
for in congress in the way Of regulation
because every member of that body had q
Pullman pass in his pocket. Members of
the committee ON interstate commerce
deny this. Chairman Wise, Mr.. Geary, !
Mr.. Durborow and Others with whom l
talked say they do not know of a single |
member of congress who has "a sleeping
car pass. Every ono has frankbook on
the telegraph company, and nearly every |
member has railroad pass or two i'll lis |
pocket, but sleeping car passes have |
never been passed around. 1t seems the
sleeping Car companies have not thought
there was any serious danger of legisla-
tion against them at Washington. They |
have frequently found it necessary to
make generous distribution of favors in
IA state legislature when tho passage of
some bill regulating rates was threatened,
but congress has hitherto escaped their at
teutioDs.
Foreign Commerce.
A most interesting report has just been
issued by the statstician of tho treasury
department on the commerce of foreign
nations. Comparing 1882 with 1892, tho
latter being tho last yCar for which full
reports are received, 1t is found that most
of the important countries of tho world
havo suffered loss of exports of their
domestic merchandise Great Britain has
lost per cent, France 3.2 per cent Ger
many &c per cent, Austria-Hungary 7.6
per cent, Russia 20.S per cont, Spain 5.6
per cent and Italy 1913 per cent Though
tho reports for 1898 and 1894 arc incom-
plctc, the statistician inthnates these
years Will show a general depression, and
in some eases surprising losses.
1t is rather remarkable that the greatest
increases of expectation arc shown by tho
two nations now at war, China and Japan.
IN that decade the increase of expectations
from China was 52 per cent and from
Japan 40 per cent. Only one other ma
tlon shows % gain as great as China's, and
this one is tho Argentine Ropublic. which
has como to tho front as competitor
against tho United States in the wheat
and cattle markets OF tho world Her gain
has been SS per cent.
Tho subject of new White House is
again being agitated. The commissioner
of public buildings and grounds having
recommended the erection of an office
building for the use of the president and
his staff, leaving tho executive mansion
exclusively for the presidents residence
and tho social functions attaching to his
Office, perhaps some attention will be paid
to it by congress when congress gets
around TO it, Nothing is expected of this
congress, for 1t is pretty generally conced-
cd it viii 90 nothing except pass the rogu-
lar appropriation bills. In five years VIII
como tho centennial anniversary Of the
occupation of tho White House by Presi
dent Adams, and perhaps by that time
some better accommodations will be pro-
vited for the president and his family.
Senator Hill as Speaker.
Senator Hill made an important speech
in favor of change of the rules OF the
senate last Tuesday. Though the fact
that he was to speak had been well adTer
lised, there was no crowd to hear him,
and not moro than third of the senators
were in their seats during the delivery ct
tho address. This docs not indicate lack
of popularity on Mr.. Hills part, but must
be taken as evidence Of the indifference
and sluggshness prevailing about the sen
ate chamber. Ola senators say they never
knew time when it was so dihicul5 tc
get up an interest in the proceedings OF
that body. They complain that the senate
has gone to sleep. The only subject which
causes every one to prick up his ears l.
sugar legislation. At the first sign of .
move on the trust senators come out oi
their cloak and committee rooms, and in
n twinkling every seat in the chamber is
occupied.
Senator Hill is not natural orator, II
isnot easy for him 10 mako graceful and
cnirited Speaeh All his iInnortaDt efforts