Show NO MERCHANTS' MERCHANTS MEETINGS MEETINGS' IN CHICAGO CHICAGO Jan The 3 spring spring- and fall merchants merchants' meetings which t for some years lars past have bavo been the th means of or hrin bringing thousands of oC bu business men from smaller r cities to Chicago o and St. St Louis will be bo omitted this year The Tho executive committee of tho the Western Western Western West West- ern P Passenger ngor association yesterday refused re re- rc- rc fused to grant tho desired faro fare and a half aalf rate in spite of tho the plans plane of rep rep- es pi of tho Chica Chicago Commercial and St. St Louis Merchants Merchants' associations i Tho reason given Jd for the refusal is that the tho cent 2 fare Bre laws of Illinois Missouri and other western states have so o reduced passenger er earnings s that it is no na lo longer r feasible to grant special rates ate |