The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-18
/ RAILROAD NEWS.
Lines Are Clashing About Rates
to Teachers.
Eastern Roads Refuse to Help
the n. E. A.
NOT SO IN THE WEST.
Railways Here Are Favorable to
the Old Plan.
Other Items OF Interest to
Railway People.
OF so IN THE WEST.

The question Of rates for the next an
| nual meeting of the National Educa-
| tional association has stirred up a lot
of iH-feeling between the eastern and
western railroads. For many years it
has been the custom of the railroads to
| add to the passenger rate for the an
| nuaI meetings the sum of 81 as mem
| bership fee in the association This fee
| IN the aggregate has paid all the ex-
| penses of the association, and caused
| the membership to increase until, at
1 the last meeting in Boston, the attend
| ance was $4,000, and the revenue de-
rived by the railroads from the sale of
| tickets exceeded $500, 900.
The plan of adding a 81 membership
fee to the passenger rate was devised
| by The railroads to prevent scalpers
from dealing in the tickets. which were
sold at the rate of one fare for the
round trip from all points in the Uni
ted States. The tickets were not good
for return passage unless countersign-
ed by the association. This plan work
ed satisfactorily to the railroads and
the teachers until this year Philadel-
phia had been selected as the place for
the next meeting in July, and the east
of the states traversed by them had
passed cent fare laws, they would
increase the rate to Philadelphia to
cents a mile and refuse to add to the
rate to membership fee in the associ-
alton.
As the association is voluntary or
ganization and has no system for coll
lecting fees or dues, its officers asked
the eastern roads to continue their GUS
TEN, but they refused to do So The
western roads saw an opportunity to
secure thousands of passengers they
would not get otherwise, and they
the usual half rate and to collect the
customary membership, on condition
the next meeting be held in western
territory The officers of the associa-
ton agreed to change the place Of
meeting from Philadelphia to Los An
geles. The western roads asked the
eastern lines in selling tickets to the
annual meeting to make the usual
bership fees. The Central Passenger
association has not only refused to
make the usual rate, or as low rate
as il makes for other events attracting
much smaller attendance, but positive
Iy declined to add to its rate 81 for
membership fee in the association. to
be reported to the western roads They
declared that they would make rates
in their territory on fat basis of 2
cents mile each way, and would only
collect half rates for the trip west OF
Chicago and st. Louis, although the
basis rendered by the western roads
was one fare plus 81 for the round
trip.
The eastern trunk lines will be asked
at their meeting April % to adopt the
rates rendered by the western lines. II
thew agree TO do this the Central Pas
seneep association lines will be forced
to reconsider their action
The railroads have always willingly
made special rates for clergymen, on
the ground that they were doing spec
iaI work for the benefit of humanity,
said a western passenger traffic man
ager 1.-The thousands of school teach
ers in the membership of the National
Fdueat ional association get smaller
wages and perhaps do as much toward
developing and upbuilding the people
of this nation as the ministers or 9TH
ers to whom the railroads give special
rates. The attitude of the eastern rail- |
roads toward the association seems al |
most spiteful, and will not tend to al |
lay the anti-railroad agitation in this
country