Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-05
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS
A Movement i'm Favor of the Reduce
ton of Railroad Rates.


The Travellers Protective Association of
America, whose membership is stated to
be not less than 10000, and which COM
prises not only the great army of CONNER
clal travellers, but most of the jobbers and
manufacturers throughout the continent.
nave organized movement directed
against all the railroads of the United
States where the rate charged for fare is
greater than cents per mile to their men,
bers, and their first efforts will be directed
against the Southern and Seaboard Air
Line companies.
In order to give the new movement a
practical start, the Georgia division has
been selected to take the initiative and the
railroad commission of that state has Set
apart tomorrow to hear arguments at At
lanta on petition filed with that body
asking that better transportation books be
granted travelling men.
one OF the features of the demand for
mulated by the Travellers Protective As
ISOLATION Is the request for an order by the
commission requiring all railroads 10 grant
mileage books goou over each line, divi-
SION or branch owned or operated within
The state.
representative of the association who
was seen by Star reporter in Baltimore
SAID that the association seeks to have
uniformity in the matter of railroad fares
anu 'nat IN all states where such a ra.e
does not already prevail and beginning
with Georgia 1t will try to have orders is
| sued by the commissions having control of
| such matters that all railroads 100 or NOR,
miles IN length be required TO issue mile
age DOCKS 10 contain coupons for 1909
miles.
1t is proposed" he said by the assoei-
atlon that these books shall be good on all
DIVISIONS and branches and that proper ar
ranSements shall be made by the various
| railroads to place them sale by their
agents and deliver them to any person de-
string TO purchase this character of leans
1
mat the roads will Sell tickets to any and
all persons at the fiat rate OF cents per
niie where the line OF road owned or oper-
aied Is 100 miles or more in length
There are many reasons for making
these requests, one Of which is that the
present regulations and requirements are
UNJUST and olerouS to Tie travelling men
Inc present requirements on the roads re-
ferred to are that purchaser shall buy
TWO books, or a $40 book which makes it
necessary Tor the purchaser to pay for
l"o miles OF transporta ion month, or
more, before 1t Is needed, and fail 10 give
lower rate on the larger amount as is
dcne by railroads in the rorth and west.
The association urges in support of the
requests to the railroad commission that
the convenience is considerable to many
who would purchase such books by pur-
| chasing larger books at one time which
would be an advantage to the railroads
as they would receive payment in advance
1t is also urged that if this was the ca Sc
and as every citizen Of the state so far as
Georgia is concerned, receives benefit from
an equitable rate, the amount of travel
would be doubled and both the state and
the roads would be benefited
AS part of the argument which will
be made before the Georgia commission an
abstract will be submitted which was
taken from letter to the vice president
OF the Seaboard Air line, written by TIL,
commissioners in reference to the recent
rate war; which is in suspense on account
OF the injunction issued by Judge Simon
ton. in which the intimation was conveyed
that the commission could not allow the
lines which were fighting each other TO
charge the people of Georgia who desired 20
travel more than just and proportionate
rate fer local travel to the through sched-
ule."
1t Is understood that the Southern and
all the other roads interested have been
notified by the commission of the action of
the Travellers Protective Association and
requested to be represented at the hearing
when the matter is taken up for considera-
ton tomorrow.