The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-08-21
WILMINGTON. n c.
TUESDAY AUGUST II 1906
REDUCTION OF RAILWAY PAS
SENGER RATES.

three and quarter cents per mile for
quarter cents for second class. There
is almost a universal demand through
out the state that these rates be reduc-
ed. 1t is claimed that they are TOO
high. Many of the newspapers advO-
cate that the next legislature estab-
lish a single rate below three and a
quarter cents for both classes.
The action of the Pennsylvania Com
pany in reducing its passenger fares
from three and a half and three cents
per mile TO two and q half for straight
fares and two cents per mile for mile
age books has attracted much attention
all over the country and there
has been a great deal of favorable com
ment thereon by the leading newspa-
pers Of the land, showing what is the
public sentiment on the question. This
reduction of fares by the Pennsylvania
company will not only strengthen the
position of those persons in our state
who are demanding a reduction Of
fares by our railroads, but will in
crease the popular demand. If a cor
poratiOn which has almost the monop-
oily Of the railway business Of ;he
great state of Pennsylvania voluntarily
makes such sweeping reduction in pas
senger rates why are not the people Of
this state entitled to some reduction of
the very high rates prevailing here will
be the argument, and we are fully con-
vinced that this and other arguments
will prevail with the next legislature.
To show what favorable impression
this action of the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company has made we give here
some extracts from Il few Of the lead
ing papers:
1t is true that the Pennsylvania
company, by reason of its position in
the densely settled country where the
condition of business are more fixed
and permanent than in many other
regions, is particularly we'll able to
rearrange its passenger fares upon al
modern basis. But while the new
Pennsylvania schedule might be uni
reasonable to many roads in othsrI
sections of the country, it will un-l
dOut@dly have a powerful and far
reaching influence in bringing down.
passenger rates all over the PnitedI
States.-Pueblo (Cal.) Chieftain.
If the Pennsylvania's business isl
unavoidably increased by the newI
rate, is it not still the public that is
how. fi..is j.
Thayer very properly said 'UnderI
its charter the company has a right
to maintain a charge of three cents a
mile still the time may have comeI
when much larger traffic can bel
handled protitably with a reductionI
in the present rate of fare" In this|
one gets a glimpse of the prOfitablel
nature of a corporations benefices, asI
Well as of the great benefits that ac-!
Crue to the beneficiares.-Detr
Free Press.
This is great concession on thel
part of the Pennsylvania, for thatl
railroad practically has a monopoly
Of the railroad business in our neigh
boring commonwealth, and it was nOtl
ntighboring commonwealth, and it'll
was not expected that a reductionl
would be obtained until the legislatureI
forced it.-Elmira Gazette.
The Pennsylvania railroad has SIM
ply been shreWd enough TO meet publ
lie sentiment half way in PennsylVa-l
MIA. In the natural course of thingSt
the reduced passenger rate will GOMEZ
first In the thickly populated states
of the east. Eventually it must cOmeI
in the south and the west. Wise rail-
road managers, like those in charged
of the Pennsylvania system, will meet
~ ;,,I
part if not wholly, and not wait to bel
forced by law to make the reduction.
Birmingham News.
From whatever standpoint it isl
viewed. the decision of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad TO lower the passenger
tariff One-SiXth on one way rides and
TO give the business interests the fOrm
Of mileage book they want, is Sagac-
iOuS stroke, by which both the COM
pany and the public are bound TO
benefit; and the concessions are made
at the psychological moment whenl
they viii be most effective in cement
ing the bonds Of goodwill that subj
sists between the road and its patrons
Philadelphia Record.
The wise action of the managementl
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany to meet the people half way in
the demand for a reduction in passen-
ger rates and a $50 mileage book is
generally commended by press and
pubHc.-Lock Haven (Pa.) Express
Whatever effect the reduction made
last week by the Pennsylvania rail-
road in its maximum or standard
three cents mile fare NAV have onl
the movement for two cent fare, it
still remains true that in this the
Pennsylvania leads the way for other
railroads to follow and furnishes the
f1rst step in twenty years towards a