The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-05-29
RAILWAY FARES.

One of the peculiarlties of railway
travel these days is the failure of the
through passenger to benefit from the
lower fares established by state legis-
latures. These reductions apply only
to passengers who board the train 10
q state having a rate regulation law.
Under these conditions a resident of
such a state travels to outside points
at lower pro rata cost than a passen-
ger going to the sam destin alton, but
who boarded the train in a state where
legislative rate regulation has not
been effected.
The Great Falls Leader has figured
the matter out and presents an Illus
tration that shows the ab%surdity and
injustice of the situation. 1t says the
railroads are not taking kindly to the
two.cent rate laws which we're passed
in several states a. a result of the
agitation for lower fares, and in their
opposition to these new laws, they
are working a hardship upon the peo-
pie Of the states which have had no
part in their making.
For instance, q gentleman who had
occasion to visit Chicago a short time
ago gives q curious il%lustr alton Of
how the system works. Having looked
into the matter z little, he first bought
a ticket at 3 cents per mile to Moor.
head, Mimi, and then, Minnesota
having a 2.cent rate law, b. bought
one from Moorhead to St. Paul at
that rate. From St. Paul he was able
to buy q 2.cent ticket TO the nearest
Wisconsin point.
Wisconsin compromised with the
railways and passed a 2t.cent rate
law, but provided that mileage books
of 500 miles should be sold at ? cents
a mile flat. This gentleman accord
ingly purchased a 50O.mile book at the
first station in Wisconsin,, the agent
selling it very ungraciously and as
surfing him that he would miss his
train if he stopped to have it made
out. However, he managed to get the
train, and on the 50O.mile ticket he
rode to the Illinois boundary. In
that state it was again possible to buy
a state ticket at 2 cents q mile.
Coming back he purchased a ticket
from Chicago to Madison, Wis, as
his mileage book would carry him the
balance of the journey across Wis.
consin. Although there is u 2.cent
rate in Illinois and a 2t-cent rate in
Wisconsin,, he found that he would
have to pay 3 cents a mile on a jour
ney that included mileage ia both
states. This the roads charge on the
ground that the journey is interstate
commerce., and the state laws have nc
bearing. For this part of the journey
he could have bought a 2-cent tickle,
to the Illinois line and then a 2t-cen,
ticket to Madison, but as it was night
time and because OF the Inconvenience
OF rechecking trunks, and as be was
told hat the sleeping car conductors
would not recognize state tickets al
night, he paid the additional amount
to get an interstate ticket.
In a little more than a month North
Dakota will have a 2!-cent rate law
so that after that a traveller from here
20 Chicago may purchase q ticket tc
the Dakota line for 3 cents, from ther.
to the Minnesota line for ,! cents
from the Minnesota line to the Wis
consin line at , cents, through Wis
consin at ~ cents, and through Hi
nois at , cents.
All that is going to make a gool
deal of Inconvenience for the traveller
from Montana, but he will save money
by buying the state tickets instead o
the through ticket.
1t would seem to be wisdom on tn,
purt of the railways to regulate theil
fares so that this Inconvenience to tn,
public should 0 occur, and it woult
also seem to be wisdom on their par
to give the residents of states whicl
have not passed drastic legislation a
least the same treatment as the resi-
dents OF those which have.
a,s~- an ~A--