New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08
EFTORTTON AT ST. LOFTS

Ex-senator Carter apparently thinks that his
warning To the people Of ST. Louis against kill
inS the goose that lays the golden egg has
served its useful purpose. Either that, or he
has been made 10 feel the bitterness OF ST.
LouiSs displeasure that the chairman Of the
National Commission OF the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition should flat;y denounce the extortlOn
practised by hotelkeepers anC Others. A few
days ago he declared that SO day for sin
gle room without meals was tie tariff CHARGE
by number of hotels. though tLs-e were plenty
Of accommodations. The result was a shrink
age Of attendance at the fair. and he hoped the
eXtortion would bring its remedy and
adjustment of prices on 4 fair basis. Now he
regrets any misrepresentation which he may
havs cauSe1 "as 10 the entertainment afforded
visitors says there may have been some iso-
LATED instances of extoItion by the hotels
the opening day. due to the extraordinary de-
"mands for accommodations" but that ten days
after the opening everything viii certainly be
settlei down II a normal position
Mr. Carriers regrets may not unfairly be in
terpretei as a sacrifice TO St Louis sensitive
ness. while his assurances may be taken as the
announcement. Of the reform which his original
complaint was calculated 10 accomplish. We
hope his confidence thar his words have done
their proper work is not misplaced. for certain
ly ST Louis stood in need Of q rebuks from an
authoritative source, ana MI. carter OIlS-Ild.
remarks rather undershot than oversize: the
mark. Not merely have the hotels of st Louis
been practising extortion on guests from afar,
but persons Of all classes in St Louis have fo-
some time been using the fai- a club for de-
spelling their own neishbors Rents for prem
ises which could under no conceivable circum-
stances be brought into sudden demand by the
exposition have been arbitrarily raised We
have receivei an account among others Of how
a poO- washerw oman occupying n couple o.
rooms in a tenement house in alley was conl-
PEELED 10 pay largely increased rental fo- her
miserable quarters, on the pretext thav the fair
caused property to be in great demaE3. Neither
have landlords been especially scrupuuus about
keeping contracts. In one hotel rooms hai been
lei on a definite agreement foT a certain prise
until May ]. The management thought II saw
a chance to jack up rents on April /. an1 made
a sudden announcement o. a raise Protests
that rooms had been engaged at the old price
until May. with stipulation that then and not
till then would exhibition prices prevail We're
met with the cynical question, What were the
occupants going 10 do about il?
II would not he reasonable 10 blame the ex-
position officials or the people OF st. Louis az
a whole for these abuses. In every city there
are hotelkeepers property owners and business
men OF every kind without public spirit or far
sighredness In a moo1 OF reckless greed they
rush to grab every penny at the momeIt. care
less Of the general welfare or even Of their Own
ultimate interest. Doubtless these are the peO-
pie who have given such an unfortunate impress
sion Of St Louis 10 many persons 1t is 10 be
hoped that something will bring them TO a real!-
cation OF their folly-eithe- an expression OF
the better feeling OF st Louis. which will re
strain them, or such a refusal Of the rest Of the
world TO be misused and cheated that they will
earn 10 court visitors rather than lob them.
Mr.. Carriers remarks may not have been pleas
Ing 10 the managers OF the exposition, but he
did them a good service. nevertheless, for which
they ought to BIO thankful lie did not put the
fear Of extortioa into peoples headG That had
already been done by the hotelkeepers. and 1t
was a matter OF conversation all over the cOun-
try. though the newspapers. for the most part.
out of friendly disposition toward the exhi-
bition had said little about the matter. II II
had gona on uncorrected, attendance at the fair
would have been greatly curtailed- Mr.. Carter.
by calling attention 10 the danger right at the
start, and sharply rebuking avarice, has opened
the way TO reasonable rates and q successful
season.