The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-30
HEHASLAST WORD
Commander Harrison An
nOunces a G.. A. R. Boycott.
Won't PatrOniZe Southwestern
Passenger Association.
FAILED To GET REDUCED RATES
Trip to Chattanooga Over e.
p. and Wabash.
Final Chapter in Fight for
Rates to Encampment.

Department Commander Harrison
announced today that the Kansas G..
A. r. would boycott the railroads in
the Southwestern Passenger associa-
ton in their trip to the encampment
at Chattanooga, Tenn, in September
and would make their trip to st. Louis
over the Union Pacific and Wabash.
This action on the part of Col. Harri-
son is the final move in the fight of
the Kansas veterans to secure cent a
mile rates to the encampment. And
while the Kansas old soldiers lose,
they refuse to patronize the roads in
the Southwestern association.
For several weeks. Col. Harrison has
been fighting for reduced rates to
Chattanooga But the roads compris-
ing the Southwestern association re-
fused to meet the requests of the Kan
sans and insisted on a rate of $25.35
from Topeka and Wichita, while
they had made a rate to the Confeder-
ate veterans in May of $500. All
the G. A r. members in Kansas want
ed, Col. Harrison declared, was
rate equal to that accorded the Con-
federate veterans and when they did
mt get it, the Kansas commander
threatened dire things.
Threatened Water Trip.
Among other things, Col. Harrison
declared that the old soldiers would
charter boat in Kansas City and
make the trip to st. Louis by the wat
er route. But this trip was vague
eral enthusiasm. So Col. Harrison
kept hammering away at the rail-
roads-but always with one result.
They refused to lower the rates. Time
and again Col Harrison told the
heartless corporations just what the
Kansas wearers of the little bronze
buttons thought of such treatment
and each time the railroads replied
Il L.
their lines for profit and not for char
ity.
Finally Col Harrison began to cor
respond with roads not connected with
the Southwestern Passenger associa-
ton He conferred with officials of the
Union Pacific and Wabash and they
advised the Kansas commander that
they Were not member of the hated
association They would be glad, they
said, to haul the Kansas veterans to
St. Louis. The old soldiers decided to
designate these lines as the official
route to st. Louis and to use the Louis
vile & Nashville from St. Louis to the
scene of the encampment.
Rate Is the Same.
But the rate to Chattanooga is still
s25-35-the same as offered by roads
comprising the southwestern associa-
ton. Various proposals have been sent
by the roads in the association, but Col.
them.
The official party will leave Topeka
at 7:30 a. m, September IA. They will
arrive in Kansas City at 9:15, leave over
the Wabash for St Louis at 10 and
arrive in that city at els in the even
ing. At o'clock at night, the party
will leave over the Louisville & Nash
vile, arrive in Nashville at 7:35 the
following morning. The party will
reach Chattanooga at 2:40 in the af-
ternoOn, over the ''old battlefield route
via MurphySboro, Tullahon1a, Steven
son and Bridgeport, with stopover
privileges anywhere on the route.
In the official party will be the Off
GERS of the G. a. R, Adjutant General
Martin and his staff, officers of the Wo-
mems Relief corps, and Ladies of the
Ct A R. posts. With these officials
leading the procession over a route
not connected with the Southwestern
Passenger association, Col Harrison
claims that the bulk of the Kansas
business to the national encampment
will be over the same roads