The Cairo bulletin., 1907-06-24
TWO CENT RATES
MAY Be GENERAL
RAIL PRESIDENTS AT MEETING
DECIDE To QUIT FIGHT ON
NEW LAWS.
PLAN SWEEPING CHANGE
In Passenger Fares Al Over the
country--PubI Opinion Forces
Action--Two Systems Are
to Set the Pace.

ion all railroads of the United State
will be reduced to cents mile. TIL
lowering .of the price and complet,
iabolilion of the cid cent ratN viii
begin on July |.
/ This was the decision reached /;
Chicago after long and heated dis
cussionb ythe leading raj foad presi
dents of all the Western and4ranscon
ltinental roads. 1t was net a. forma
agreement but Is equally binding, fol
two large roads doing transconti
mental business are said to have ser
we'd an ul imatum to others that they
would put the rate into effect i'm
| Imediately
Following the meeting officials oi
several of the roads admitted that
| they had been forced to bow to public
opinion and antirailroad legislation
They said that no further fight wogld
be amde on the cent laws already
passed, and that the roads would ac'
cept he inevitable.
Among those who are said to have
attended the secret meeting were
President B, l.. Winehell of the Chi
cago Rock Island and Pacific and
Pres dent A. l.. Earling Of the Chica-
20. Milwaukee .e st. Paul. Neither
would discuss the report last night.
Illinois Rate to Be Cut July I.
The first reduction will be made
July / on the Illinois rates. This Is
expected to be followed by general
order from passenger traffic depart
ments lowering the interstate rates.
The result will be that within a few
months the travelling public can reach
any point in the United States for
.two.thirds the usual fare.s Railroad Of
ficials also say that II viii mean the
revival of keen competition for bust
ness among competing lines.
Another. consideration said to have
forced the informal decision to cut
he rate was the impossibility OF
charging 2 cents In one state to con-
form to the law and attempting to
charge cents when the passenger
crossed the line into another state.
The opinions of the heads OF their
legal departments as to the probable
outcome of litigation over 2 cent fare
laws of this and other states were
considered by the presidents of the
railroads at the meeting While the
attorneys generally predicted that the
courts would declare the laws uncon-
stitutional because the rate OF cents
per mile is unreasonably low and
practically confiscatory and also be-
cause the laws deprive the railroads
of their rights of equality, the general
view taken by the presidents was that
with public sentiment so strongly In
favor of 2 cent fare and the inability
cf the railroads to reduce interstate
rates to 9 cents per mile in certain
states and to maintain a basis OF 3
cents per mile IN adjoining states and
for all interstate trips 1t would be
folly to fight the Illinois law and to
continue the litigation which has been
in other states.
All Rates to Be Reduced.
While the railway presidents did not
enter into any formal agreement as to
their future policy regarding passen-
ger rates. 1t was plainly stated by
some that their roads will reduce their
rates to cents mile in Illinois on
July 1, and as soon as possible VIII
reduce interstate rates to the same
basis.
The decision by one big railroad 10
adopt this policy forces all the other
roads to do so, hence the prediction
that "the 2 cent basis CT rates will
spread like wildfre throughout this
from the Atlantic to the Pa.
cific and the lakes to the gulf"
If interstate rates generally are re-
duced to a basis of cents per mile,
it Is unlikely. railway officials say,
that they will ever be advanced 10 n
higher basis. The impossibility Of
interstate rates on
basis of 3 cents per mile between
states where 2 cent laws are in force
is apparent For example. the pres
ent rate from here to st. Louis is $3.50
while on a basis of cents per mile
to East St. Louis the rate is s5.62 To
cross the bridge over the Mississippi
river separating the two states OF
Illinois and Missouri. each passenger
would have to pay 25 cents. without
leaving the train or even changing his
seat. making the trip to ST. Louis cost
him only s4S7, or s1.G3 less than
he interstate rate which some Of the
reads proposed to maintain.