The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-26
RAILROAD NEWS.
To Stop All FavOrs on Passenger
Rates.
Railroad Presidents Act on
Warming From Washington.
CUT OFF COMMISSIONS.
Rate Cutting Competition Stop
ped in Western Cities.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.
UT OFF COMMISSIONS.

Leading railway presidents have re-
ceived warning from the inner circles
at Washington that it is the purpose of
the administration henceforth to apply
the interstate commerce and antitrust
laws as vigorously to passenger as to
freight traffic.
AS a result of this warming passenger
officials of eastern and western lines
met yesterday in Chicago to 'scIean
house" The eastern roads commenced
with their worst trouble, the payment
Of secret rebates and other concessions
to secure the patronage Of persons go
ing to Europe. It is estimated that ev-
cry year about 5000 persons go from
or through Chicago to Europe. Most of
them are Sc~andinavians and Italians re-
turning to their native lands for the
holiday or summer season. AS a rule
they travel in large parties, and special
trains are provided for them. They
travel second class paying a rate OF
SIG each from Chicago to New York.
THIS movement is worked up and
controlled by sub-agents of the trans
Atlantic steamship lines, and these sub
agents have been paid commissions and
rebates by the railroads competing for
the business. Last month certain lines
paid as high as SO on each passenger
turned over to them by the steamship
agents. One line employed as it's own
agents the ~sub-agents of the steamship
liz GLAlAA A4G1 ~ A. x @oA
stock of railroad tickets.
The famous anti-commission agree
ment adopted in 1901 by the presidents
of all the railroads in this country Can
ada. n Mexico practically put a stop
to the payment of commissions and re-
bates, except on h sO-called steamship
business. Every year the roads rum
ming east from Chicago have secured
this business by secretly paying COM
missions, the road paying the highest
commission getting the bulk. of h BUSH
ness.
Acting on the orders of the presidents,
based on the warning from Washington
of the administrations purpose to pun
ish violations of the law in the condllct1
Of passenger traffic, the representatives
of the eastern railroads met and adopt
ed the following resolutions:
Resolved, That pending further con-
ferences on this subject we individual
" pledge ourselves to Immediately dis
continue any and aNeconcesSionS of ev-
erv kind or character to STEAMSHIP
agents or companies, including COM
missions, salaries, side cuts reduced
fare or free tickets, OF any form OF
gratuity whatever, for the urpos of
controlling or diverting Transatlantic
While the eastern roads were "clean-
ing house, the western lines were
for a similar purpose. OF late
there have been all kinds of rate cut
ting on passenger traffic east bound
from Colorado, particularly on party
business. The interested lines agreed
to ~contin at once all practices
contrary to the antitrust and inter
state laws. Steps will be
taken without delay to stop the secret
cutting of rates from St. Paul, Omaha'
Kansas City, and other points.
Many passenger officials have be-
lieved or professed to believe for years
that the interstate commerce and anti !
trust laws applied only to freight and
not to passenger traffic. In consequence
little attention was paid to those laws
competition was keen for any
special passenger traffic. Numerous
and other schemes have been
to stop secret cutting of rates.
but none of them proved successful for
any length of time.
Most Of the passenger officials are
impressed by the warning that
the administration proposes to strictly
enforce the laws as to passenger or
freight traffic, but others smile ana
saw. 1--WE are in no danger so long as
persistent violations of the laws by
officials are unheeded-'