The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-01
Santa Fe and Southern Pacific
Offer Old Terms.
EASTERN LINES REFUSE
National EducationI Association
Has Been Getting Extra So.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.


railroads are having a lively quarrel
with the other lines in the Transcon-
tinental Passenger association over
rates for the proposed meeting next
July of the National Educational as
ISOLATION.
For several years it has been the
practice of the railroads to grant half
rates for the annual meeting of that
association, on the pretext of desire
to help thousands of poor school
teachers, and then to collect about
100000 from the general public using
the cheap rate and turn the fund over
to the treasury of the association.
The railroads filed with the inter
state commerce commission tar1H
showing that their rates for the Ma
tional Educational ASSOCIATION were
made on the basis of one fare Plus -
for the round trip, sbut the 81 addeo
to the half rate was given to the as
ISOLATION, and the sum thus realized
was more than sufficient to defray all
the expenses of the association Last
year only 1850 actual members at
tended the meeting of the associatlon
in Boston, although over 10000 tickets
were sold at the rate of one fare plus
81 As result the general public I'M
Willingly contributed nearly 5000
to the National Educational associa-
ton, the railroads voluntarily acting
as collection agents.
Special Rates Prohibited.
When the eastern railroads recently
were asked to make the same sort of
a deal for the benefit of the associa-
ton, in making rates for the meeting
fixed for July in Philadelphia, they
refused to do so, for the reason that
it was a form of discrimination pro-
hibited by the act to regulate COM
merce. They declared that they could
not afford to become collection agents
for all the organizations which hold
big meetings annually and for which
the roads make reduced rates, and
therefore they could not add 81 to the
rate made for the National Educa-
tional association. They offered to
make a rate of one fare for the round
trip, but that was not at all satisfac-
tory to the officers of the association
who determined to transfer the place
of the annual meeting from Philadel-
phia to some western city, if they
could induce the western roads to give
them a bonus of 50 on each ticket sold.
The Western Passenger association
was first asked to make such an agree
menti for a. meeting at Los Angeles. A
majority of the roads voted against the
plan, for the same reason the eastern
roads refused to do it if the meeting
was. held in Philadelphia. Then the
officers of the association appealed to
the Transcontinenta1 Passenger associ-
alton, which is dominated by the
Southern Pacific and Santa Fe roads.
Both of them are more than willing to
add 81 to the regular rate and give
the bonus to the association for the
sake of having the meeting of the as
ISOLATION in Los Angeles, which can be
reached only over their lines.
Committee to Decide Point.
At the meeting yesterday of the
Transcontinental association a MAORI
ty of the roads opposed the scheme of
the National Educational association,
but the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific
had the proposition referred to a spec
lal committee, on which both of then.
We're represented. This committee
probably will make report today rec
that the roads donate to
the National Educational association 81
for every ticket sold at the special rate
made for its annual meeting in Los
Angeles.
cannot carry out their plan without the
cooperation of other railroads. Most
of them have been advised by their
legal departments that the scheme of
the Educational association is contrary
to the interstate commerce law.
The eastern roads are quietly exert |
ing all their influence to have their |
western connections refuse to collect |
the extra Sc for the association, in the |
belief that the annual meeting will be |
held in Philadelphia, as originally plan
ned If all lines refuse to give a bonus |
to the association. AS the event always |
causes a big increase in passenger |
traffic, there is much rivalry between |
the roads over the location for the an !
nual meeting of the association