Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-19

| Chicago. Feb. 19.-The annual row
between the railroads over the G. A. h.
lencampment has commenced. There is
always the keenest rivalry between the
railways for this traffis: and in years
lpast all kinds of concessions have been
made to prominent members OF the or
ganization. 1t has been customary for
| the railroads to furnish free transpor-
| tation to the principal committees also.
This year the st. Paul system offered
not only free transportation but a spe-
i cial car to the executive committee OF
1.-The G. A. r. to go to San Francisco
ard make arrangements for the en-
campment to be held neNt August.
The connecting lines of the ST. Paul.
the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific,
asked that standard Pullman sleeping
| car be furnished the executive COM
mittee of the G. A. r. instead of
special car of the st. Paul company,
and the change was nude. The COM
mittee left here Tuesday night for San
Francisco via the ST. Paul, Union Pa
The Santa Fe system offered to bring
the committee back from San Francisco
ia Chicago without charge, and the Of
fer was accepted. The Rock Island de-
clared that the offers made to the G. A.
r. committee by the Santa Fe, St Paul.
Union Pacific, and Southern Pacific
lines We're in violation of the pass
agreement" of the western roads, and
also contrary to the Interstate COM
merce and anti-rebate laws. The COM
r,ant of the Rock Island was discussed
by the executive officers CT all the west
ern lines, and they agreed that no fur
Their concessions In the way OF trans
portation or reduced rates should be
made 10 anybody. The roads involved
declared that they could not cancel the
arrangements made with the executive
committee of the G. "A. r., but pledged
themselves to make no further conces-
sions to committees or individuals in
order to secure any kind of traffic
1t is claimed by some that the anti
rebate law will not apply to the free
trip of the executive committee of the
G. A. r.. while others think it would
II will prevent any railroad from MAX
ing any discrimination in rates here
after, under penalty of a fine OF not
less than $1,000 or more than 100000.
The railroads have agreed to make a
rate of $50 from here to San Francisco
and return on account OF the c. A. X.
encampment, and 1t is not likely this
rate will be changed unless it becomes
apparent that one or two lines have
planned to capture practically all the
traffic. In that event the biggest kind
of a rate war may be expected.
Must Advance Rates.
Freight agents of the western rail-
roads have been too lenient toward
shippers, in the opinion of executive
officers. Yesterday the reports of adj
vances in freight rates were submitted
by the freight agents. and severely
criticised by the higher officials.
After consultation, the executive Of
ficials ordered an immediate advance in
the rate on about twenty classes of
freight, including apples. grapes, and
other kinds of fruits. They then issued
orders to the freight agents to again
revise their tariffs and make a general
advance in rates. Suggestions by the
freight agents that further advances |
might create a storm among the ship
pers received scant consideration by the |
executive officers. They emphatically
declared that the railroad companies
would be obliged to have more revenue,
and they could get it only by raising |
rates.