Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-02-17
M0rE RAILROAD BILLS
Measure is Introduced Reducing
Fares to Two Cents Mile.
ANTi:PASS BILL IN SENATE
Prohibits Issuance Of Free Transporta.
ton to State Officers or Delegates
Committee Hears Protests

ture re-convenes today after a recess
nee last Friday, taken to enable the
committees appointed to visit the
state institutions, to perform their
duties.
During the past week considerable
has been accomplished in the way OF
legislation. A large number of bills
have been introduced in each house
and quite a number have been killed
in committees, while some have been
passed by both houses.
representatives of the railroad com
panies doing business in the state
have been making frequent pilgrim
ages to Des Moines of late Their oh.
jective point seems to he the room
of the house committee on railroads
Their object is to oppose the varions
bills which have been introduced look
ing to more restrictive railroad legs-
lation. One hearing has already been
had and arguments made against the
DeLano bill. which contains many
matters the companies declare are es
they claim they should not he com
PEELED to give free transportation with
stock shipments for the reason among
others. that 50 per cent Of these passes
find their way into other hands than
those entitled to use them and one
railroad man said that stock ship
ments are the least remunerative Of
anv sort OF property railroad is
called upon TO transport Without go
ing into figures. II NAV he said no
claimed his road could make more
money shipping brick than hogs or
cattle They claimed il was unjust
to require the initial road or any 9th
er road for that matter. TO ship stock
in preference to any other sort Of
freight and TO push stock through to
its destination at the uniform rate Of
twenty miles per hour was simplv i'm.
possible None of the other railroad
bills upon the calendar seem TO meet
the unqualified approval of the gcn-
tlemen who ride in private cars. and
as one OF them evnressed it, I'VE
dlt SplIlS lO w HFbIn dSilHSI PNPTV
bill " Senator Hughes has introduced
his anti-pass bill. which prohibits the
issuance Of free TRANSFORMATION Of any
sort to anv state officer. member of
the Legislature. Judge. county attorney
or to delegates to any nolitical con
vention. and another hill which was
introduced in the senate bv Senator
Stirton. "bv request" Zoos Senator
Fuohes one better in lacking onto the
"anti" provision Of his hill the re-
uuirement that roads shall make a uni
form passenger rate Of cents pcr
mile for adult passengers and cent
per mile for children between the
years Of two and twelve
Railroad Men Get Busy.
The railroad men did not nav much at.
tention 10 the anti-pass bill but when
the 2cent a mile feature hobhed M
thew heoan TO "get busy" at once
Then there are the undergrad cross
ines bill the hill for connections at
everv town where two or moro lines
terminate and an innocent looking bill
which requires switch liohts on all
switches. to be kent lighted during
the NIGHTS and on fooev davs Con
cern'nO this hill Mr.. J G.. Davis. the
wag cf the "brass collars" declares
II Is tho first stem towards recurring
the railroads TO fastan red lanterns
to the coat tolls Of all their brakemen
A house hill prohibits the emplov-
ment Of minors by railroads as teIe
eraph operators or signal men This
hill was introduced In view OF recent
sma shups which were due TO the neg
ligence of Youthful operators II Is
Quite rrohable that some 81 these hills
which annear to he especially merito.
riohs will pass. hut the larger norton
of ther ore destined to he reported
for indefinite postponement
No Primary Election Law
n eeems quite nrohah Ie that roth
inc will be done towards the adoption
OF urinary election law. The maior.
itv or the members saw such law Is
not needed in their localities and no.
body wants II except the people in
Polk county,. A nroposition has haan
made to limit the law TO counties hav.
ing a population OF 50 On0 or over hut
there Is a growing feeling that tho
statute book should not NO i"~'No~oa
up with measures that are ar"''"a''n
only to one county. There is no nuos.
tion but that some rro-'~'"~ :" ~"
vent such wholesale frauds arn ~
common occurrence W tho ""~''"' "''"
on primary elections are nen'od hut
the feeling seems TO be IN lot Polk
county fight II ont as hest ~hN o"~
On the question 81 dra'-a~e avs.
there seems to be d'snoeition IN fol.
low some plan simi'a~ 70 that incNr.
porated in the bill endorsed by the
Ames dra ,age convention. The
need OF this law IN vow manv parts
OF the state Is conceded and a bill
will probahIv soon 10 nreean.ad nv
the committee that will embody the
desired provisions end it's passage Is
thought to be certain.
Opinion as TO what is best to be
done with the road law seems to be