Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1914 — Indianapolis Hotels Are Accused of Gouging Visitors. [ARTICLE]

Indianapolis Hotels Are Accused of Gouging Visitors.

An editorial in the Indianapolis Nows entitled ‘The Hotel Gouge,” goes after the Indianapolis hostleries that boosted their in order to make fat off the race visitors. A traveling man who frequently visits that city discussed the proposition with The Republican and Said that all newspapers of the state should protest against the habit that the hotels of the state have of boosting rates whenever there is a demand for additional accommodations. Indianapolis is fortunately well located in the central part of the state and with exceptionally good railroad facilities, which it a desirable city for holding conventions, and every day there are gatherings there of the people of the state. Many national conventions are held there and this makes the hotel business good, but it should not license the hotels to indulge in an increase of rates Just because there are an extra large number of people in the town.

The News truthfully argues- that an innkeeper is a public functionary, has been held so by Jaw, and having established a fixed rate, it should have no more right to increase that rate than, a railroad would have if there was some increased traffic in sight Railroads never did this, even .during the old days when there was no regulation. The hotels have established a schedule of prices, presumably making them high enough to permit making a fait return on their Investment. When,-therefore, they raise their -rates to double, treble and quadruple the established price, they are profiting illegitimately and should be restrained by law. '