The log cabin Democrat., 1920-10-23
TRAVELLERS SEEK |
 LOW HOTEL RATES
SAY CHARGES EXCESSIVE
Travelling Statesmen Here Frame De- mand for Reductions Equal to
 Other Business.

Other Business.
 Travelling salesmen residing here started mover 1t today for the re- duction of tes and fees for other ser t,E --fn d them while on the re - s.#. mt as signed by lF -.,..s......1 .sserts that while re- | l' .'. been made by other
 r..' ,,1siness during the past 30 t.,''- ,ne hotels of the country have
 .Hntained the same prices as charged ! during the war period, but which are now alleged eXorbitant in view of the lower cost of ma -nnance Transfer companies also r14 to have held to the same rate q [ in the high price era. and the tIG ul n ask that reductions be mace Ft them. Hotel porters, who handle baggage, and hotel proprietors, who charge for the use of sample rooms, are called to account by the salesmen, who assert that their rates are out of proportion to prices maintained now in other lines or DuSlneSS.
 As proposed by the signers of the statement, it will be given as wide publication as possible and will call attention of the public to the alleged failure of the hotels to reduce in pro- portion to other decreases in living costs, and in that way will accom- plish their purpose. The statement is as follows:
 We the undersigned commercial travellers of Conway, realizing that there has been material decline in the cost of living, and knowing that all commercial business houses have reduced prices and are sacrificing profits formerly obtained under war prices and war conditions, firmly be- lieve that the time has come that there should also be corresponding redqc tion made in the hotel rates that are now being charged. We know it to be fact that the rates are now 75 to 1 100 per cent higher than under pre- war prices and that the services and table fare are greatly inferior to the service and fare formerly given, and we earnestly submit that the cost of 1 operating these hotels doesn't warrant such maintenance of these rates and we insist that the same are eXorbi- tant, and disporportionate to the ser vices rendered. We seriously insist that the rates reduced in keeping with the reductions in other lines of business, and in making these de- mands we feel that we are fully war ranted by the changed conditions in the markets from which the hotels make their purchases.
 We likewise believe that the rates charged by transfer companies hauling passengers and baggage are excessive and should be adjusted to new condi- tions as well. We have personal knowledge of instances where trans fer companies have maintained the same rates for the past five years and are prospering, and we can not un- derstand, after prices have undergone material reductions in the past 30 days, why a reasonable reduction should not be made by the transfer people and some of the excessive charges eliminated.
 We also wish to call attention to the excessive rates of hotel perters for their services in connection with the handling of baggage. Their rates are now from 50 to 100 per cent higher than the original charges for this service, and in many cases unrea- sonable for the service performed.
 The charges in regard to sample rooms are also exorbitant and unrea- sonable in some cases, and great many of these are dirty and unkept, and we feel that we are justified in making serious complaint along this line
 We respectfully ask that all other commercial travellers take action upon this matter until the hotel proprietors will make such reductions as justice and equity demand.
 E. F. Edwards, E. H. Allison, D. L. Young, c. w. Martin, P. P. Talley, Rosco Grafton, L. s. Dunaway, T. M. Moore, R. A. Reynolds, L. F. Holt, Wm. Van Valkenburgh, c. c. Pinson, E. L. Hinton, J. D. Dunaway, w. N. Jones, w. E. Jumper.