The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-02-17
house PASSES a. \. BILL.
E1xEs RATE, AT t-a CENTS AND
REvokEs EXCHANGE. SYSTEM.
NO Penalty Is Permitted to be Ex-
acted From Those Who Fail to Buy
Ticket Before Boarding Trains
Little Opposition to Bin.

DAY passed Mr.. NJ. L. Smiths bill fix
ang the passenger rate at Q 1-2 cents.
and providing that no penalty should
- provided for not buying a ticket
Hseore boarding train. The fur
tAer provision Is rrado under this biz
hat where mileage books are sold
ehs mileage must be accepted by the
conductor. The bill seeks to revoke
the exchange system for which the
travelling men have been insisting.
n the bill passes the Senate the legal
sate for passengers will be 1-2
esnss and no more. No penalty is
permitted for not buying a ticket and
Mileage u to be accepted whenever
and wherever offered by the owner.
Mr.. Aver was almost alone In pro-
ees(ing against such legislation, and
a the fnai vote. those who opposed
Ssgislation on. rateS were fearfully
lonesome. The whole discussion ap-
peared TO he Indifferent, and IL there
we're any who opposed restrictions for
the better protection OF the railroads
u the handling OF fares they were in
coospicuous. Mr.. X. r. Smith wanted
pAsseneers required to buy tickets of
some sort before getting on a train.
but this was defeated.
Mr.. Aver Opposes Measure.
The House took up the 1-s cent
rate bill and was about to rush 1t
through when Mr.. Hartwell NJ. Aver
aid II was time to think well Of what
had better be done. The railroads
had better be allowed a chance, he ar
sued III the law requires tho rail-
reads to loose money On passenger
business then they must take the loss
cut OF wages. There are appeals to
% and not to do this or that. He
wrought these matters ought to be se-
ftously considered. and no snap judg-
Uent should be taken. There Is a
rnllroad commission to consider what
= fair and just and proper. The facts
eaow that the railroads spend "a per
eent. Of their gross income for opera
e1ons. The 26 per cent. must go to
dividends. improvements. extensions.
sec- The railroads have In the last
two years been spending so. and
snmetimes 90. per cent. OF their gross
1noome. He did not know IL a 2 1-2
cent rate was fair or not. and had not
1fme 20 so into suoh an examination
- ought to be necessary. The mat
~ should be carefully studied by
1hose In position to study the actual
eunditions. The bill did not provide
a.y penalty for the non-purchase Of
e1ckets.
Mr.. Man thought the mileage sys-
tem not only n nuisance. but a hum
txy. The railroads already have their
noney. and he saw no excuse for the
trouble of exchanging the mileage for
. ucket. He said II was an outrage
- require passenger to 60 to all this
trouble.
Mr. NJ. L. smith wanted to know
'vhAt this State had done to make
eh1s state have higher rate than
my other State. The present legal
nnes y three cents and he wanted to
- q by statute at Q 1-2 cents. The
soa'roads OF their own accord offered
60 1-2-cent rate. II was simply re-
0onsive to what had been done or
1srced elsewhere. The railroads, he
nrxued. did nothing except what they
I'D 60. The main object OF the bill is
- require the acceptance of mileage
uerips. The rate was fixed at 1-2
esnts and all ne wished to do was to
nsgalise the rate.
He was willing for the Act not to
cake effect until April. 1t Is said there
v1s an agreement between the State
and the commissions 1t was never
suggssted or intimated that there
would be any imposition of the nui-
sAnce IN to exchanging mileage strips
4or tickets. The first break was made
~ the railroads. and imposing this
requirement Mr.. Hydiick said ne
had absolute confidence In all the
conductors of the Southern Railway.
~ has all along been thought the
nileage system was held because II
was alleged to be check on conduc-
eors. but II is now said the railroads
Gro not suspicious OF con ductors. The
whole mileage system Is now wrong.
hr. Aver saw no use 10 pass these
oils. and argued that this legislation
was unnecessary and hence unwise
This state was enjoying the same
rntes as other States.