Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-02-18
Cents
Reports Not Explicit.

Mr.. Campbell made the point that the
reports of the various roads were not
sufficiently explicit i'll regard to passen-
ger earnings for any cOrrect estimate of
the cost per mile of carrying passenger
to be made. He said he was inclined
to the belief that the report of the Wa
bash was approximately correct, and
that in his opinion the actual cost of
carrying one passenger one mile was
not far from . cents. Upon these fig
ures he said he believed that the Glass A
roads should be allowed to charge not
over 81 cents per mile, and the other
lines cents, and that mileage be sold
at the rate of 2 cents per mile fiat. He
said that the returns showed that even
if it were true that business has fallen
off in the past few years, the surplus re-
ported by the larger roads had increased.
Mr.. Campbell intimated that the fight
for q reduction Of the passenger rates in
this state had just begun. The effort
made by the travelling men at this ses-
sion, lie said, was bat the preliminary
slIirmish and at the session Of the 9th
general assembly next winter there
would be a concerted action of travelling
men, jobbers, shippers and all others in
terested i'll lower rates, to have a law
passed placing the maximum rate to be
charged for passengers on the main lines
in the state at 2 cents per mile.
Mulct Law Decision.
The decision of the supreme court filed
early in the week, by which the bar fea-
lures of the mulct law were declared in
operative in cities under special charters,
created considerable anxiety among the
members representing such cities. The
cities specially affected were Dubuque,
Cedar Rapids, Keokuk and Davenport.
AS soon as the decision was reported
Representative Brant of Cedar Rapids,
prepared bill curing the defect in
the law and making it applicable
to cities under special charters as we'll
as other cities. This was passed by the
house at once and then messaged over
to the senate. Here unexpected opposi-
ton was met from Senator Benson, who
represents Dubuque. He objected to its
consideration, but by two-thirds vote
the bill was referred to the committee
on suppression of intemperance. The
committee held a meeting Friday and
reported the bill back for passage. Sat
urday morning it would have come up
for consideration had not Senator Bon
son again stopped it by making per-
sonal request of Senator Alexander
(Linn) that it be held up until today.
Senator Alexander granted the request,
but will call the bill pr today and ask
that it be pat on its passage. Senator
Bonson's opposition appears to be based
on desire OIL his part to have the mulct
law amended in some particulars SO as
to knock out some Of the most restric-
tive features. 1t is not probable that
any such change will be made.
Much of the code that has been passed
during the week has not been materially
changed from the present law. Some
of the more important changes, how
ever, are as follows:
The senate has amended the ballot
law SO that the name of a candidate
may appear but once on the ballot; has
retained the circle at the head of the
ballot, but provided that it shall be used
only i'll voting straight ticket; has re-
pealed the provision for printing the
official ballot in full in the local papers;
has passed the railway laws about as
they are at present, besides passing a
number Of other codifying parts of the
code ON which there was little or no
discussion. The house has kept up with
the senate and has passed a number of
sections of the code that have not as yet
been reached in the other body. The
county superintendent bill has been
passed by both houses with the provision
for the examination of teachers who ap-
ply for first grade certificates in ele-
mentary algebra and physics. In the
house the law on evidence has been
amended SO that in prosecutions of gam
blers and dives witnesses shall not be
permitted to refuse to testify on the
ground that they may incriminate
themselves, but no action shall lie
against them OIL account of such testi-
mony. JULIEN RICHARDS.