Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-20
GOT WHAT He ASKED FOR
CRITIC CHANGES MIND ABOUT
INTERSTATE COMMISSION.
Confesses Himself Set Right by
Breezy Letter Sent in Reply
to Complaint.

c. H. Unversagt, president of the
Standard Finance Company Of New York
city. and the interstate commerce COM
mission have been indulging in a bit
of breezy correspondence the result OF
which will probably impel Mr.. Unversagt
to pause in the future before again hand
ing out to the commission, at least in
a facetious manner. the thoughts that
pass in his mind when he hears of its
rulings.
Mr. Unversagt, indignant at a sup
posed ruling of the commission concern
ing the reduced rate tickets sold by rail-
roads to school children, indited the fol-
lowing epistle to the commission:
STANDARD Finance Company,
New York, January ii, 1909.
Interstate Commerce Commission, Wash
ington. D. c.
Dear Sirs: l inclose herewith an adj
vertisement of the Pennsylvania railroad
in relation to the fact that the rail-
higher rates between interstate points.
Il do some considerable travelling over
the country and on several occasions
in the past two years I have had to pay
increased rates. and on every occasion,
1t is stated, 1T is due TO some ruling
of the interstate commerce commission.
II was under the impression that your
commission was appointed for the pur-
pose of protecting the interests of the
public, instead of devisng schemes
whereby the public could be mulcted of
more money than even the ingenuity of
few more commissions of your kind in
this country and the mass of the people
will be obliged to pay for the air they
breathe. Yours truly.
President.
passed a ruling in which the public have
not been additionally fleeced by the rail-
road l would be extremely glad to be ad-
vised Of what it consists Of"
The commission. which latterly has been
taking judicial notice, so to speak, of at
ment. to misrepresent its rulings and be-
little its work. referred Mr.. Unversagt's
letter to one of its members for proper
action" The following reply is the re-
suit, the name of the commissioner who
wrote 1t only being withheld for obvious
reasons:
Dear Sir: Your letter of January IA,
addressed to this commission. and inclos-
ing bulletin issued by Pennsylvania rail-
road. has been received and referred to
me for attention.
This commission has made no ruling of
the sort indicated by that bulletin. 1t did
rule that If the Pennsylvania railroad saw
mt to transport your child. who Is presum-
ably able to pay its fare. to school for u
certain price, it must accord the same
privilege to the poor cash girl who is
obliged to work for her living; that il it
transported the day scholar. it must also
transport the boy who, obliged to labor
through the day, must attend an even
ing school If he attended any. In other
words, we held that the Pennsylvania
railroad must treat all children alike. and
we explicitly pointed out to that COM
pany. when the ruling was made. that
what 1t ought to do was to open its tar
IFS to all children.
LAS l remember it. some three years
ago this commission sat for several weeks
in Philadelphia. inquirIng into the coal
operations of the Pennsylvania. That in
vestigation exposed a condition of graft
from top to bottom In that company
which startled tho whole country. AS .
result the independent coal operator
stands today something like a fair chance
in the conduct Of his business upon that
railroad. The Peunsylvunia does not for