The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-21

Passenger Men Say They Have Had
All the Fight They Want-WiH
Likely Get Together Permanent
Iy at the Expiration of the Pres
ent Agreement, Which Termi-
mates Jan. IN. p. Earnings.
Those who purchased tickets to Chicago
yesterday paid full tariff fare for the first
time in weeks. According to the terms of
the new st. Paul-Chicago passenger
agreement, rates went back to the normal
figures of $11.5O The end of the disor-
ganized conditions came without a jar,
and the fierce fight of the past three
months is over.
The only perceptible effect of the en-
forcement of the new agreement was
manifest in the instances of number of
st. Paul people, who, Notwithstanding the
wide publicity which the attempt to re-
store rates TO a normal condition has had.
went TO the different city offices in hopes
OF buying their tickets for $3.50. In one of
the offices yesterday, a refusal was given
to request to issue three round-trip
Florida tickets based on the old cut-rate
TO Chicago. and a number of similar in
stances were noted, showing general de-
termination to enforce to the letter the
terms of the new rules
There is an excellent prospect at present
that the Chicago rates will be rigidly
maintained until the first of the year.
when the present agreement expires. Sew
eral general passenger agents, asked to
give their opinions of the effect of the
their knowledge extended, there was not
road in the agreement but which in
tended to enforce 1t strictly
General attention is being directed to
the outcome of the present effort The
terms bind the roads, parties to 1t, to
maintain rates only tosJan. 1. After that
date they will be free to assume whatever
attitude seems most favorable to their in
tereStS. No. one believes that the present
conditions will last, and expressions were
heard yesterday on all sides to the effect
that more rate cutting would ensue after
the termination of the agreement, unless
the unlocked for course of joining the
Western Passenger association is taken
by the outstanding lines This falls war
has opened the eyes of railroad men to
the danger of these periodic disturbances
Said a general passenger agent
I'VE have had all the fight we want
TheSe periodic rate wars react in q very
unfaTorable manner and cause us severe
loss. The passenger men are beginning
to feel the necessity of getting together
on the subjecf and making an effort to
provide some satisfactory means or reg
ulating tariffs between common points.
The only, soIutieaaaf thercut-rate prob
lem which 1 can see is to establish a train
dfferentfal5= charging higher fares on fast
speed made Let tfeN Strong lines estab-
lish a qtpes B9R@ ssrRacehetween. St. Paul
and Chicago, charging Aan Increased rate
for a Sold sleepeE trai nth put on reg
ular trains, KING the run in the pres
ent tipfs, IaAd The conditions between the
weak and the strong lines would be
equa5izedi ; The advantage .of faster time
overstfig weak Tines would be compensated
by higher fires, .-9#+
Were this plan to be put in effect L
think a great change would result Re
garding@ the. maintenance Of the present
agreement I@can say that I never saw-the
executive officers SO anxious. for the rigid:
enforcement of rules against ate7cuttfng.
1t will undoubtedly hold until the first. of
the year, and after that we. may expect
another war on the first provocation; I'M
less radical changes occur"