Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-08
RATE BILL PROVES PROBLEM
Involves Many Difficult Questions for Rail-
reads and Their Patrons,
LAND AGENT MATTER NOT SETTLED
Some Lines Announce They VIII Issue
No More Permits 10 Travelling
Statesmen to Ride on
Freight Trains.

Day by day railroads and some Of their
patrons are attempting to solve the varie-
gated problem of transportation put up to
them by congress during its last session
The land agent proposition and the travel
ing man puzzle are two of the most difficult
conundrums.
The railroads, at least some of them, have
announced that after January l they will
issue no permits to travelling statesmen to
ride on freight trains.
The local jobbing world is much perturbed
over the situation. Two or three houses
have applied at the railroad offices for per-
mits for their statesmen for the new year
and have been refused. They say such ac-
ton will increase the expenses OF their
travellers and compel them to put a larger
force on the road in order to cover their
territory. They talk of holding a meeting
to talk over plans for putting their griev-
anoe before the Interstate Commerce com
mission.
1t is on account of the laws passed at the
last session of congress that the railroads
have made the ruling. They hold they will
be amenable under the law If they allow
travelling men to ride on trains on which
the general public is not permitted to ride,
since such a practice would be discrimi-
mating in favor Of a class. They propose to
be on the safe side and so hereafter will
allow statesmen to ride only on such freight
trains as are designated as mixed" or
those calculated for the accommodation Of
passengers well as for hauling freight.
Roads VIII Help JObbers.
But the railroads propose to help the job
bers as much as they can by increasing the
number Of mixed trains.
I'VE are compelled to comply with the
law" said c. E. spens. general freight
agent Of the Burlington. I'VE realize 1t will
work a hardship on the travellers and for
that reason we will extend the passenger
service to many trains on which the public
is not now allowed to ride. We want TO
offer the best service possible, though of
course there are some freight trains on
which we cannot take passengers. In ter
| ritories where the passenger service is linn
tied we will designate more trains as mixed
/ trains and thus care better for all passen-
| gers"
Without permits to ride on all freight
| trains, the travelling salesman will be able
| to cover a lesser number OF towns each
day. and the hire Of livery rigs will in.
crease his expenses.
Eustis and His Land Agents.
/ 4ullAg OF Tue leauAhA lcAAu aENAA9 VI lAS
west are meeting with p. s. Eustis, passen-
| ger trafhc director; L. w. Wakeley, genera
passenger agent. and Assistant Genera
Passenger Agents Lalor and Buckingham
Of the Burlington to consider some way
to continue the colonization Of the west
In view OF the decision of the Interstate
Commerce commission, which has cut OF
the Issuance Of free transportation to owe
600 land agents In the west.
THE Interstate Commerce commission 4
going to insist on the enforcement OF tina
law" said p s. Eusts. "and we have &
face the matter as 1t stands The matte
OF putting some OF these men on the pa,
roll OF the companies In order TO Civ
them transportation is out OF the question
and some new scheme will have TO b
worked out. /. myself think Il will worl
al right and that legitimate land agents
} who do the most good IN bringing settler
p 70 the west can contiRus In the bushes