The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-02-08
Railroad Are i'm for Il Rate
Compromise.
WHAT THEY SEEK IN STATE
They Recognize That Two.Cent Fare
Is Coming; Don't Want to Be
Injured.
From Mondays Daily.

-'AOii@'''
Minnesota railroads are preparing to
make Il compromise offer to the legisla-
ture, in place OF the two-cent fare bills,
says The Minneapolis Journal. 1t is UNI
derstood that meeting of the traffic
officials will be held Monday, at which
the terms of the compromise will be de.
cided upon. 1t will be presented Tues
day afternoon, when the house railroad
committee is to give a public hearing
on the two-cent fare bills.
Several senators and representatives
have been sounded and it is claimed
that the compromise has a good show
of adoption i'm both the railroad com.
mittees.
Railroad officials realize that some
kind of two-cent fare law has to
come. They are striving to get one that
will do them the least possible injury.
They object strenuously to straight
two-cent fare law because it will disar-
range and reduce all their interstate
rates in northwestern territory. The
compromise that is being advocated gets
around this.
The proposition is to give two-cent
rate on all roundtrip tickets, without
granting any concession in the regular
tariffs for One-way trips. Mileage books
are to be issued at a fiat twOcent rate,
good only in Minnesota, but good on
all the roads in the hands of the holder.
They would be both interchangeable
and transferable, but would not be good
beyond the state line. So the general
scheme of passenger rates now in force
would not be disturbed, though Minneso-
tans could buy mileage books either full
or partly used, and 90 any distance with
in the state for two cents mile.
Railroad officials are also proposing
that instead of straight anti-pass law
the legislature provide by law that all
state officials and members of the legis-
lature shall be carried free. This is the
law in New Jersey, and is in force In
this state with reference to the railroad
commission. 1t is argued in favor of
this that when passes are made compul-
sorry there is no feeling of obligation on
the part of the holder toward the rail
roads. But some of the lawmakers are
having trouble to figure out why this
proposition and this argument should be
advanced by the railroads.
One inducement being offered by rail.
road officials is that they would all ac-
cept the compromise law and give the
people the benefit of reduced rates at
once. If the two-cent fare law is adopt.
ed without any modification, they will
fight it in court on the ground that it
is confscatory. If it is sustained, then
all reduced rates will be cut off to make
up the loss in revenue.
A large majority of the members in
both houses are pledged to two-cent
fare bill. 1t is contended that the COM
promise is really a twc-cent fare, and
that vote for it would comply with
the pledge.
Some of the progressive members de-
clared themselves opposed to the COM
promise, however, when talking about
it yesterday. They do not think it fills
the bill, and they think that if two
cent fare enacted in Minnesota would
have a result of reducing rates outside
the state also, that is just an added rea-
son why it should be done. They have
in mind the passage of two-cent fare
laws in Wisconsin, Iowa and perhaps in
the Dakotas, which would put the whole
northwest practically on straight two
cent basis. The adoption of the COM
promise would make a two-cent rate
within each state to those who bought
mileage or round-trip tickets, but as
soon as the traveller crossed the state