The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-17
RAILROAD RATE
LAW RESTRICTS
FREE PASSES

Washington Oct IA series OF orders
was Issued by the interstate commerce
commission, relating chiefly 10 the con
struction OF section II OF the recently en-
acted railroad rate law. In substance
the rulings follow:
"A contract agreement or arrangement
between common carriers governing di-
vision between them OF toint rates on
Interstate business is a contract, agree
ment or arrangement I'm relation 10 traffic
Within the meaning OF section + OF the
act 10 regulate commerce, and a copy
thereof must be filed with the commits
sion.
Where a joint rate is In effect by
given route, which Is higher between any
points than the sum OF the locals between
the same points. by the same or. another
route, such higher joint rate may, until
Dec. 81, 1906 be changed by reducing the
same TO the sum OF such locals, but not
otherwise, upon posting one day I'm ad
vance tariff OF such reduced rate and
mailing a copy thereof 10 the commis-
sion.
Rates for a series OF daily excursions.
such series covering a period not ex
ceeding 80 days. may be established upon
notice OF three days as TO the entire
series. and separate notice Of the excur
sion on each day covered by the series
need not be given.
Round trip tickets on the certificate
plan may be issued at reduced rates and
their use be confined TO the delegates 10
a particular convention or TO the mem
bers OF a particular association or So
cety, upon the condition that a certain
portion OF such tickets shall be presented
for valuation for return trip before the
reduced rate for return trip VIII be
granted 10 any"
The commission suggests that the rule
should provide that not less than 100
tickets shall be presented for valuation
for return trip before reduced rate will
be granted 10 any. Round trip tickets on
the certificate plan may also be issued
TO government employees going home 10
vote and returning TO their employment.
"The provisions OF the act relative To
the issuance OF free tickets, free passes,
free transportation or free carriage 10 en-
ployes OF carriers apply only TO persons
who are actually In the service of the
carriers and who devote substantially all
OF their time TO the work or business or
such carriers Land and immigration
agents, unless they are bona fide AMI
actual employees. representatives OF cor
respondence schools, agents OF accident or
life insurance companies, agents OF oil or
lubricating companies. etc, are not with
I'm the classes 10 which free or reduced
rate transportation can be lawfully fur
nished.
But the commission does not construe
the law as preventing the carrier from
giving necessary free transportation 10
person travelling over its line solely for
the purpose OF attending 10 the business
of. or performing a duty imposed upon
the carrier. nor from giving free carriage
over its line to the household and per-
sonal effects OF an empoye who is re-
auired to remove from one place 10 an
other at the instance Of, or in the interest
OF, the carrier by which he is employed.
Nor does the commission construe the
law as preventing a carrier from giving
free or reduced rate carriage over It's line
to contractors for material, supplies and
men for use in construction Improvement.
or renewal work on the line OF that car
rier provided such arrangements for free
or reduced rate carriage are made part
of the specifications upon which the con-
tract is based and OF the contract itself
THE provisions OF the act relative to
the issuance OF free or reduced rate trans
portation 10 ministers OF religion do not
apply 10, or include. members of the fam
lilies OF ministers OF religion. Neither do
the provisions OF the act relative TO the
issuance OF free or reduced rate transpor-
tation admit or including therein officers
OF the government. the army. or the navy.
or members OF their families, or other
persons to whom such considerations may
have been extended in the past unless
they are within the classes specifically
named in the act"