The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-03-22
Railroads Affected by Two
Cent Rate Law Refuse
Concessions to G. A. r.
NO MORE EXCURSIONS"
Roosevelt's Visit to Indianapolis, May
80, Displeases Old Soldiers
Memorial Day Theirs.
t'vpeciaI to Lake county Times.

| Indianapolis, March 22.-The two
cent rate law, which will become ef-
fective with the publication of the
acts, about April Is. is not all beer
and skittles. So the G. A. r. veterans
think anyhow.
For Colonel ]. r. Fesler assistant
adjutant general Of the state G. A. r.
has just been notified that the railroads
will not grant to the old veterans the
customary one cent a mile rate to the
state encampment at Fort Wayne, May
%, "a and 25. For years past-ever
since these state encampments have
been held, in fact-the railroads have
granted this one cent a mile rate to
/ the encampments. But no more.
/ The letter of c. P. Mcdonald, the
commissioner of the Central Passenger
! bureau, is not elaborate. 1t merely
states that inasmuch as the two cent
rate will be in effect at the time of
| the encampment it will not be best
/ to make the reduction.
This is the first of the series of
refusals to come, 1t seems The ex-
! perience of the other states which have
/ adopted the two cent fare is that the
| railroads have stopped making rates,
and there is no reason to believe that
the experience of Indiana will be diff
| ferent from the experiences of her sis
ter states.
More Troubles for G. A. R.
The local G. A. r. men are involved
in another difficulty, that may lead to
a national story. Already the other
members of the organization over the
state have become involved, and yes
/ terday's indications were that Presi-
| dent Roosevelt would be dragged in
With more of thoughtlessness than
intent, the indiana Lawton Monument
/ commission, which has in charge the
erection of the statue to General Law
ton erected at the state capitol, made
arrangements with President Roose-
Welt to deliver the dedicatory speech.
So far, so good.
But the date set for the speech was
Memorial day. May 80, the day that
the old soldiers insist is set apart for
their especial observance And they
are raising an objection to the ptesi-
dents coming to Indianapolis on that
day to deliver the Lawton dedicatory
address. And so loud has the com
plant become that the president, in
directly has taken notice of 1t, and
unofficially declared that he can can
eel this engagement if carrying it out
would seriously disgruntle the old SOL
diers.
Date Cannot be Changed.
Every pressure possible has been
brought to bear on the local c. A r.
leaders to refrain from pushing their
contention that the Lawton dedication
be not held on Memorial day. The
point is made that to change it now
would be a direct affront to the presi-
dent. who cannot come here on any
other date His itinerary is already
made out. He is to be in Lansing,
Mich the next day, and that date can
not be changed. 1t is almost a case of
no president if the date is changed.
| The suggestion has been made. too,
that the Memorial day exercises be
held at 9 o'clock on Memorial day. and
the Lawton exercises be held at 3
o'clock the same afternoon. Col Fes-
| Ter dismisses this suggestion with the
| double answer that In the first place.
| the local memorial exercises would
take all day, and second. that holding
! the Lawton exercises at o'clock in
| the afternoon would bring thousands
from the smaller cities in Indiana to
Indianapolis. with the result that all
over the state the regular Memorial
day exercises would be interfered with.
If the G. A. r. officials write to the
president and present their protest, he
will not come Col. Fesler has said,
! however, that they would not push the
matter this far.