The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-11

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
A letter in the il urnal of the 9th requires
a few words in reply In former issue of
your paper letter from Mr.. Clinck to Mr..
Mccormick. of the Big Four, contained the
following passages:
The many criticisms INDUCED in by the
press and claimed to emanate from COM
mercial travellers and business men in OPP
position TO the interchangeable five-thou-
sand-mile ticket now on sale and covering
lines members of the Central Passenger
Committee are TO be regretted.
careful analysis of these criticisms war
rants the assumption that they emanate
from railroad officials, some I'm the Central
Traffic Committee territory and others i'm
adjoining railroad associations with the
view of creating the opinion that the five
thousand-mile ticket is Unpopular with the
class who have for years a1vocat I'd its is
Suance.
In the letter of Feb. 6 this gentleman
says: mo reference is made in my COM
munication to Mr.. Mccormick of any com
mercial traveller being in the employ of
railroad corporations, directly or indirect
ly.' What brought out my first letter in
reference TO this fve-thousand mileage
book was the charge here made that the
opposition to the book came only from in
terested railroad men. L have not heard
a word of commendation of this book from
a single commercial traveller and l have
been at considerable pains to interview
travellers in all sections Of the country. My
territory commences at Boston, Mass,
and ends with the Pacific ocean, at Winnie
peg Manitoba. and the southern confine
is the Gulf OF Mexico. / am interested in
interchangeable mileage. am willing to pay
for the same and am ready to concede
every safeguard to the railroad corpora
tions necessary and compatible for proper
conduct OF the mileage-boOk business. but
l desire equal protection. Ii the photograph
is necessary let the railroad company pay
for il. The interest on the capital furnished
them will more than pay Tor the photo
graphs. Do away with the exchange of
mileage for card ticket. That is an out
rage. Let me cite case: Take the 1922
p. m. tram at Shelbyville. Ind, for Deca-
tur, Ill. A ticket to Indianapolis and your
baggage checked to that point is the best
YOU can do. On reaching Indianapolis IL Is
necessary to leave the train. so through
the gates To the ticket office. procure a
ticket and thence back fifty yards or more
to the baggage room. await the arrival of
your baggage and recheck the same all TO
be done in ten minutes tiaIe.
The ticket is OF the past. and Mr. Chicks
cards TO general passenger agents cannot
rosurrect it. Whatever may he the incen-
tive which would actuate secretaries of
ciations-to write cards In its behalf. no
commercial traveller who n rs to put up with
the inconvenience and annoyance OF rail-
road travel of to-day will advocate this
parody On mileage book.
The average commercial traveller is as
honest and as intelligent as the average
railroad manager or passenger agent. Pre-
sent the right kind of book II YOU must
have that much OF slO0 value. but furnish
ne hundred dollars worth OF acconmo-
dations. Don't deprive US of what we al
ready have with one-ffth of ~ G money in
vested. Make the book redeemable at it's
face value. III IL Is necessary TO give IL up.
No traveller will give up his book unless
compelled to; ard II he Is compelled 10 give
Up the book. divide the loss With him. The
railway has had the use of his money: do
not throw all the loss on the traveller Give
US honest book which be honestly
used for honest purposes and IL will not
be necessary 70 have secretaries OF ASSOC