The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-26
WICKED, WICKED RAILROADS!
NOW THEY ARE INTERFERING
WITH THE q. a. ~. ELECTION.

Discriminating Rates Given 90 Eastern Dele
gates, 90 Capt. Coney. Candidate From
Kansas. Asserts Appeals 20 Interstate
Commerce Conrssston for Assistance.
W~AsKrNaroN. Aug. 7S.-The Interstate
Commerce Commission has before ~ a
charge by Capt Patrick Henry Coney OF
Kansas. who wants to be commandment
chief OF the Grand Army Of the Republic.
that the railroads Of the country. by &C.
cident or design. have assumed an attitude
that In p~rejudicial 10 his candidacy. In
Kansas they arc making IN welkin ring
out Of sympathy for Capt. Concy. and the
end Ia not yet.
There arc three candidates In addition
to Capt. Coney. whose names will be voted
on for the Office Of commandments
Of the g. A. r. at the annual enoampment,
which will be held at Saratoga. They
are Charles G. Burton, Collector Of the Port
of Kansas City: Charles Burrows Of New
Jersey and Gen. John T.. Wilder OF Ten
nessee. Capt. Coney does not fear the
candidacy OF Col. Burton. He nays that
the Kansas City man will be left at the post.
Capt. Coney fears the Eastern csndi-
dates because. az he says. the railroads
have fixed a rate deal hat Injuries his candi-
dacy and ID distinctly in the interests OF
his Eastern rivals. The rate allowed by
the roads on account Of the encampment
il q half fare from all places east OF the
Mississippi and a two-thirds fare for all
places west Of the river.
This means, Capt. Coney contends. that
the Eastern delegates will all 60 TO the en-
campment. while hundreds of soldiers from
the West will be prevented from making
the trip on account Of the discriminatory
rates. As Capt. Coney is banking on the
West chiefly for his support, he says that he
is handicapped.
Another complaint made by Capt. Coney
is that travellers to the encampmeut will
| have only one stopover. Capt. Coney.
backed by the commanders Of Kansas and
Colorado, appealed to the Interstate Conn
mission for relief, through Gen. John c.
Black. Past Commander-in-Chie OF the G. A.
r.. and now Civil Service COMMISSIONS
here. The first telegram from Coney to
Black said:
Kindly 60 to Interstate Comnerce Com
mission and get some stopover privileges
10 Saratoga that are disc~riminatingly given
Jamestown exposition"
Gen. Black took the matter up with the
commission and received word that the
commission had no power to demand stop
Capt.Coney came back with another tele-
gram which read:
only one stopover at Niagara Falls
allowed visitors to national encampment
at Saratoga. We ask for and are entitled
to stopover privileges deeired within the
limit OF sixty days. as given to jamestown
exposition excursionists. We also demand
no discriminatory rates west OF Chicago
and St. Louis, now one-third more than
east Of these points. Southwestern Pas
senger Association makes nc rates to q.
A. r. encampment while granting one rate
to jamestown and return
Gen. Black fired this telegram at the
commission. Secretary Moeely replied
"The railroads made the rates to Saratoga
lCapt. Coney then charged that IL was dis
elimination FOR the railroads to charge
Saratoga excursioniste two-thirds the
regular rate west Of Chicago u st. Louis
and only half rate east OF these places.
Gen. Black passed this telegram along
| 10 the commission. Secretary Moseiy re-
piled that the railroads have already made
their rates and conditions to the Saratoga
encampment and fled their tariffs with the
| commission. They are now obliged to
| observe them without variation until after
! the encampment ID held. The a abso-
lutely control stopover privileges.
This doesn't help Capt. Coney, in getting
Western delegates 10 the encampment
who will vote for him for COMMANDMENT
Chief. II will enable the Eastern candi-
dates. he says. TO pack the encampment with
Eastern delegates. Meantime they are
holding indignation meetings ont in Kansas
as a protest against the plot to defeat the
States candidate for the place at the head
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic.