Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-06-20
RAILWAYS MUST
Sell COUPONS
DECISION OF THE RAILWAY
COMMISSION m IS TO
EFFECT.
A REDUCTION IN TIE RATES
Action of Great Import to Travel
ers and to Wholesale Firms
in State.
A REDUCTION IN TIE RATES

The board OF railroad commission
ers, at it's recent meeting, turned GU
some important decisions, besides {
large grist Of routine work.
Decision on Excess Rate.
Among the interesting things dis
posed Of was a second decision in the
! matter of excess baggage rates re
curing the railroads of the state tt
either restore to sale the former in
trastate excess baggage rates from
the present basis Of II IL per cent
of the passenger fare to a'1O per CEN
basis. H' "'
1t will be remembered the commits
sion last March reduced the excess
baggage rates one-third, and that to
offset this reduction the railroads
without the notice to the commission
required by the board, discontinued
the sale of intrastate excess baggage
coupon books, although continuing
the sale of interstate books. This &C
ton restored, within about s per cent,
the old exces baggage rates, but it
has been held by the commission thai
not only has one OF its cardinal rules
been violated, but that this act was
discriminatory against the travelling
men who only carried baggage in this
state in favor of the traveller doing i'll
terstate business. Following is the
decision in full and it will probably
be read with interest by all the trav.
cling fraternity:
AT the time of the hearing had in
the above entitled proceeding, and at
the time of the rendition of the order
on February 10, 1914, it was known
to the commission that all of the car
riers doing business within the state
were issuing a coupon xcess baggage
book for the use and benefit of those
travellers who handled baggage in
large amounts, and preferred to take
advantage of a special discount OF
20 per cent offered by the carriers,
but no question was raised but what
this vas a permanent arrangement,
and one which would not be affected
by an order of this commission reduc-
ing the rates previously in existence.
Upon a careful investigation OF
the situation, and a thorough consid'
Grafton of the matters adduced by
the compliments, the commission in
its order undertook to reduce the
then existing excess baggage rates
from IS 2-3 per cent to II IL per cent
of the first class passenger fare. This
order "a barely issued before its
effect was practically nullified by the
withdrawal by the carriers doing bust
ness within this state Of the coupon
book referred to-, so that, instead of
reducing the excess baggage rate
SO 1-3 per cent, as was intended to
be done by the order of the com.
mission, the order really reduced the
rate 6 2-3 per cent only.
"This coupon book is used by all
of the carriers doing business within
this state, in the states Of Illinois
Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota,
and on interstate traffic between these
states, but it was only withdrawn
from use in the state of North Dako,
Ia. The commission feels that this
was merely an excuse to counterfeit
the effect Of the reduction, and that
1t operates as a discrimination against
the state of North Dakota, and prac.
tically nullifies the effect of it's order
of February 10, 1914.
"On the I'd day of April, 1914, the
compliments renewed their complaint
and asked for the restoration of this
book, or a further reduction of 20 per
cent from the existing rate. Upon a
hearing on the 5th day of May, 1914,
the matter was reconsidered and upon
re-cxamining the evidence, the com.
mission is convinced that the prayer
of the compliments should be grant.
ed. .l.#
There may be some uncertainty as
to whether this commission has the
power to compel a carrier tc sell a
coupon book at the reduced rate, and
for that reason this order will be
made in the alternative, requiring the