Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-09
Will DROP INQUIRY
Des Moines Commercial Ex-
change Gives Up Rail-
road Rates Reform
Committeeman TO BLAME
COMMITTEEMAN TO BLAME
The Chairman Being One of the Heavi-
est Shippers in the City, Refused to
Prosecute Inquiry and Second One
on Committee Was Railroad Man and
Also Declined.
Special to Times-Republican.

Commercial exchange, of Des Moines,
a body representing the leading ousi-
ness men of the city. to effect some
reforms supposed to be needed In the
matter of railroad rates, have been
reluctantly given UP. Several months
ago committee was appointed to
make inquiry into freight rates for
this city, with special reference to
determinations against the city, thru
rates, the effect of basing points, local
rates and rebates. The purpose was
to have the city as q whole take up
the matter of rates and effect great
change in the system in vogue. George
II, Lewis, one member of the COM
mittee, took the lead in the investiga-
ton and accumulated a vast amount
of information. But it developed that
the chairman of the committee is one OF
the heaviest shippers in the city and
| he refused to prosecute the inquiry,
and the second man on the committee
was railroad man and he declined
to go into any such inquiry. Mr..
Lewis stated today that the inquiry
will be dropped because 1t is impossible
to secure the cooperation of the bust
ness men, that the heavy shippers do
not want any disturbance OF rates and
| the small ones are afraid to do any
thing. In short, the rebate system is
SO prevalent that the commercial affairs
| of the city are wholly at the mercy
| OF the shippers. Nearly all the large
shippers, 1t was found, are enjoying
rebates and only In few instances
are the card rates on freight busi-
ness adhered to. Inasmuch as most of
the small shippers expect to be large
ones in short time they refuse to be
drawn into any controversy with the
railroads. 1t had been planned by the
Commercial exchange to employ rate
| manager for the city. but this will not
be doae.. In regard TO determinations
| it was found that while in the card
rates there, are determinations against
Des Moines yet by reason Of the
enormous rebates this is more apparent
than real
The corporation fees received by the
state of Iowa in the biennial period
just closed amounted to $290,S54.32.
The Rock Island railroad paid s145000
of this or about half. Three fourths
of the amount was paid the last year
of the biennial period.
Cen Grenville NJ Dodge, of New
York City, will not attend the nation
al encampment of the G. A. r. in San
Francisco next month. Gen. Dodge was
elected at the Cedar Rapids encamp
ment as the delegate at large from
Iowa. He had previously made 1t
known, however, that he regarded 1t as
doubtful if he could attend. A letter
has been received by Assistant Adju-
tant General Newman, of the Iowa de-
partment, in which Gen. Dodge states
positively that he can not think of
undertaking the long journey to San
Francisco to attend the encampment
that he must take great care of himself
and avoid exposure, but adds that If
in the future he can do anything for
the Iowa department he is ready to do
so. Col. Alonzo Abernethy, of Usage.
was elected alternate at large to take
Gen. Dodge's place If the latter should
not go. Now 1t is learned that 1t is
doubtful if he can go to San Francisco.
In that case it is probable Iowa will be
short one vote in the encampment.
Dr. Frank l. Harriott is engaged at
work on the reports which come to the
state board of control preparing statis-
teal tables for the biennial report of
the governor and legislature. Just at
present he Is at work on statistics re-
lating to the poor farms and county
asyluns of the state and the general
cost of supporting the poor of the state.
The figures are hard to get and ac-
curacy is not possible, but sufficient
showing will be made to convince the
Iowa people that they are paying enor
mously for the charity work DONE
The fruit crop in Iowa this year turn
ed out better than was expected early
in the season. Secretary Greene of the
State Horticultural Society, has not
collected information as to the con-
dition of crop for July 1, as this is just
between seasons, but he has informa
ton that the raspberry and blackberry
crop now being gathered. is very fine.
The strawberry crops were cut short
early in the season, but the late ber-
ries We're unusually fine and fairly
abundant, and the state has practically
all the berries needed. Other small
fruit to be gathered later are in ex-
cellent condition. In regard to apples
Mr.. Greene estimates about half crop
at the present time. A great many
apples have been falling since the last
special report a month ago, when the
estimate showed 65 per cent of the
crop then in sight. The peach and plum
crop was cut short but In some parts OF
the state they will be abundant.
A. E. Holder, ex-presdent of the
state federation of labor. states that he
has information that In nearly every
trade connected with railroadlng the
employees in the state of Iowa have
within the past year secured advance
in wages or other equivalent conces-
sions and that there has been steady
up-turn in the matter of compensa-
ton for labor. The past week COM
mittee of machinists on the Rock Is
lland road has a conference IN chicago