Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-09
ARE DECLARED TO BE PROPER.
No Preference Was Given Salt
Lake City Over Ogden
As Charged.
Uniform Rates for All State and Coun-
~ Fairs uSgcstcd-Compiaint
Must be Dismissed.
lsnecIal TO The News.)

Washington. D. C., Dec. 9.-The inter-
state commerce commission today pro-
mulgated an opinion in the case of the
Weber. club and Intcrmountain FAR
association VS. the Oregon Short Line
and others. Briefly the opinion OF
the commission Is:
The provisions of sec. % of the
set Go not entirely exempt the is
suance OF excursion tickets from the
operation of tho undue discrimination
provision of the act but the statute
itself authorizes discrimination in per-
mitting the issuance of excursion
tickets and it is only in cases where
this privilege has been plainly abused
that the commission would be justified
In interfering.
. The defendants make a pas
senger rate of one fare for the round
trip in the spring and fall of each year
10 Salt Lake City. Utah, from the sur
rounding territory in order that per-
sons may visit that city for the Nor
mon conferences and the Utah state
fair, but II issues passenger rates oi
only one and one-third the round trip
fare for excursions to the Intermoun-
tain fair held in the fall of each year
at Ogden. Utah Complainants do not
attack the rcaSonableness OF the cx-
cursion rates to Ogden, but they COM
plain that the defendants unduly dis
criminatc against ogden, Held thar
the commission is not satisfied from the
1nnS hnn
given by these excursion rates prefer
cnce OF such proportions as to be term
ed undue.
3-The commission suggests that de-
PENDANTS should establish uniform
passenger rate OF TX cents per mile
each way to all state and county FAIRS,
but this is a meter upon which the
commission has no authority to make
any requirements.
The opinion continues. The excursion
established to Salt Lake City on ac-
count of these conferences of the Nor
mon Church Is natural and proper We
have required defendants to furmsh
a statement showing the movement oil
passengers through Ogden to attend
these fall conferences as compared with
tie movement to Ogden In attendance
upon the Intefmountain fair, and these
statistics do not Indicate that any great
or undue prejudice is being worked
against the locality which complains
at present. 1t is possible that under
the auIso of excursion rates like those
attacked Salt Lake City might be
given preference of such proportions
as to be termed undue, but we are not
satisfied that such has been the result
OF those rates up to the present time
THE passenger rates upon the lines
OF defendant are cents per mile. the
excursion rate accorded the Mormon
conference is cents per mile both
ways or IL cents per mile each way.
The commission suggests that this
rate would be sufficiently high as AT
excursion rate to state and county
fairs. and that the establishment OF
this uniform rate would remove all
ground of complaint and would prob
ably stimulate the movement of traf-
fic to such an extent as would make
good to carriers any loss In revenue
from a reduction In the rate Itself; pu'
this is a matter upon which we have
no authority to make any requirement
The complaint must be dismissed