The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-17
PASSENGER AGREEMENT OF THE
WESTERN ROADS READY FOR
FINAL ACTION.
IT is WITHIN THE LAW.
STRONGER, IN SPITE OF THIS FACT,
THAN ANY PREVIOUS COM8l-
NATION.
OLD NAME Is TO BE RETAINED.
All Rate Sheets, Rules and ReguIa-
lions Are to Be Filed With the
Chairman.

CHICAGO, April 16.-The new agree
nent Of the Western Passenger assocl-
alton is, in the opinion of the members
of the committee, which formulated II,
the best and strongest agreement the
Western lines have ever had, In CON
nection with their passenger business.
In preparing it the general passenger
agents on the committee have had the
advice and cooperation of a number
of the legal advisors of the leadlng
roads in the association, and they are
positive that there is nothing In the
agreement that will in any manner con-
hict with the law. The committee has
recommended that the association re-
tain the old name of Western Passenger
association, and has declared In the
agreement the object Of the association
Is protection of the lines, members OF
1t, protection against Illegal competl-
ton, and to provide for proper action in
all matters of common interest. In
connection with the association proper,
four subsidiary bureaus are to be main
tained-the clergy bureau, the mileage
ticket bureau, immigrant bureau and
the bureau of excursion rates and ar
rangements. Provision is made for the
organization of other bureaus as the
ossasion shall warrant.
The meat Of the new agreement is in
the section providing that all parties
to the agreement shall file with the
chairman all rate sheets, circulars,
rules and regulations pertaining to
passenger business subject to the as
ISOLATION, and the chairman, as the
agent of each individual line, shall
disseminate such information. 1t is
also provided that the chairman shall
act as the agent for all the roads par
ties to the agreement in compiling and
publishing joint rate sheets, and shall
file for the individual lines with the
interstate commerce commission all
rates necessary under the law. 1t is
also declared to be the duty of the
chairman to discourage, and, as far as
he can, to prevent all violations of the
interstate commerce law or other fed
eral or state laws The chairman is
ordered to cooperate with the federal
authorities and the proper state Off
Gals to this end.
This is a radical departure from the
custom Of the roads in the past, as
they have been disposed to keep all
information possible from the inter
ever, If the roads cannot enter into any
agreement to maintain rates, they have
determined there shall be as little Sc
cret rate cutting as possible. 1t is
stated that nothing in the agreement
shall be considered as preventing any
road from taking individual action in
changing rates Of fare" This provI-
sion, the legal advisors of the commit
tee declare, will cover the entire ground
taken by the supreme court decision.
In order that all roads shall have an
opportunity to meet low rates when
made, it is provided that when any one
line shall determine to reduce any rate,
1t shall be the duty of the road, de-
string the low rate to inform the chair
man, and he shall at once notify all
roads parties to the agreement. Under
the old agreement, notice Of ten days
was necessary to the reduction OF
rates, but under the proposed agree
ment they may become effective at
once upon the notice given to the
chairman. The powers of the chair
man have also been enlarged, and his
decision is to be binding upon any mat
ter submitted to him until it is reversed
by a vote of a majority of the lines in
tereSted. He is also to have access 10
the books of the companies at any
time.
Under the agreement, local associa-
tions are to be organized at Chicago,
st. Louis, Kansas City, Leavenworth,
Omaha, including Council Bluffs, Des
Moines, st. Joseph; st. Paul, Mime
apOlis, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pu-
eblo, San Francisco, including Oak
land, Los Angeles; Portland, including
Seattle, Tacoma, Victoria, and New
Whatcom. The local associations are
to investigate charges of rate cutting
which may be made against their mem
bers and to impose fines in cases of
conviction. The maximum fine for the
sale of one ticket at a cut rate is to be
$40 and for more than one, $25. Deal
ing with ticket brokers or scalpers or
facilitating the ticket brokerage busi-
ness in any manner is strictly prohib-
tied, both under the general and local
agreements.