Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-08
AIMED IN RIGHT DIRECTION.

h,u introduced In the Iowa senate
NV Senator Hogue yesterday will give
the railway lobby another nightmare
before the discussion of It's provisions
finally ceases. The measure proposes
to make it mandatory upon railway
companies doing business in Iowa 10
furnish cars to shippers whenever
asked for. Section 2,l16 of the code
now proyides that Every railway cor
poration shall, when within its power
10 do so, and upon reasonable notice
furnish suitable cars to any and all per
sons who may apply therefor, for the
transportation of any and all kinds OF
freight with all reasonable dispatch.
II Is proposed by Senator Hogue to
strike from this section the aualifyins
clause when within its power to dc
Sc" leaving the railway no loop hole
,hru which to crawl as now when II
wishes to discriminate between snip
pers.
lust how Senator Hogue's law is go
Z ing tn compel railroad company TO
furnish cars to shippers when, In
busy season, all cars are in use is
problem that looks unsurmountaoie TO
Iaynan. but undoubtedly Senator
Hogue has solved 1t. The need of some
mandatory power to compel railway
tn treat all shippers alike is apparent.
The experience of independent grain
buyers and farmers cooperative grain
companies with the railways when IN
competition with the Tine" elevator
has been instructive.
The Zine" elevator is one owned by
corporation in common with many
other elevators along that line of rail-
way and as shown in the Review of Be
views recent account of n Kansas ex-
rerience railways are often induced by
n large corporation of this kind doing
most of the business along Its line to
adopt rules inimical to other shippers
independent shippers have experienced
KEedt uiIlCQlNy III 6SssAAS >esAS
the Zine" elevator at the same station
seemed TO always have all the cars 1t
needed. In Kansas rule was adopted
that no cars would be furnished to a
ehipper unless the grain was already
deposited alongside of the right way
when the cars were ordered. This shut
out the farmer who wished to ship his
own grain From these experiences 1t
has become urgent that the state as
sumo some control over this phase of
raflroading, but whether Senator
Hogue can accomplish the end by his
measure is extremely doubtful.
Not long ago subscriber replying to
an article in the T.-R. regarding de-
murrage charges suggested that the
railways be compelled to pay fine to
the shipper for all delay in transport
ing cars of freight to their destination.
This rule IL 1t could be enforced would
be a fair and Just one. Independent
OIL companies have often received bills
of lading showing that large shipments
OF OIL have been started to their adj
dress from the refneries at Pennsylva-
ria, but If their fight with the Standard
Oil Company had been particularly
brisk they have waited weeks and
weeks for those cars of oil to arrive.
The conclusion as to the cause was OBJ
Vous. Some kind Of government con-
troll and regulation should have pro-
tected the independent dealer. The
spirit of the Hogue bill is all right VIII
It do the business is the question. Can
a railroad be forced to furnish cars
when it has no cars to furnish? Would
1t not be better to levy an offsetting
charge to the railways demurrage
charge and make the railways own
rule work both ways?