Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-14
Large Amount of Business to
Be Removed From Iowa
Railroad Commission
TO ESTABLISH BUSINESS AGENT
Plan of Having Farmers Grievances
Taken Up Direct With Railroad
Companies Thru This Agent Likely
to Be Enacted by Corn Belt Meat
Producers Association.

Des Moines, July 14.-Preliminary
steps have been taken which will re-
move from the Iowa railroad commits
sion a large amount of the business
heretofore handled by it. The Corn
Belt Nest Producers Association
of Iowa, which was organized in Des
Moines last winter and to which is due
the credit for securing the restoration
of the return pass for livestock ship
pers, proposes to establish a business
agent. or rather a secretary. at Des
Moines who will take up the grievances
Of the farmers direct with the railroad
companies instead of thru the COM
mission.
The details of the plan have not been
perfected, but there is little doubt of
its enactment by the next annual meet
ing of the association. n has been dis
cussed considerably by leading men,
bers OF the association and they argue
that 1t will be the only means of keep
Ing the association intact as well as
showing direct results to the members.
The plan is similar to that of the
Iowa Grain Dealers Association. which
has its headquarters in Des Moines and
for which George A. Wells is secre-
tary.
To Hear Grievances.
The secretary will be expected to
take up all questions or grievances of
shippers who are members Of the as
\ -. -xrt- :
will have every shipper of prominence
in the state within the next six months)
directly UP with the company. At
present shippers lose many claims
against the railways, the latter simply.
deferring action on them until they die
out. Many of them are usually too
small to institute suit over. Scarcely a
shipper in the state who handles four
or five cars per year but who has a
claim for damages on account of delay
In shipment injuries to an animal by
defective handling. etc. Sometimes
these do not amount to more than SIS
or $50 individually and the cost Of
suing Is such as not to warrant be-
ginning action If the company refuses
payment.
The secretary of the company oy
handling all the claims, would be able
to compel the companies to pay at Il
small cost to the shipper.
In addition to this. the secretary win
be expected to st as purchasing
agent for the members. In case GER
tain county needs corn. as was the
case last year. 1t will be the business
of the secretary to arrange for the
purchase of large quantity of it. The
feeders will be thus able to profit by
the reduction in prices. Likewise IN
stock cattle.
Other Questions Up.
Questions of crossings, cattleways,
drainage, etc. which are constantly
coming up between farmers and rail-
roads, will be submitted to the secre-
tary, and ne will be expected to repre-
sent the members.
These are only few of the many
matters, the officers point out that
could be handled by an official of the
association to great advantage for
the farmers. They claim that on ac-
count Of lack OF organization, the live
stock men and farmers have been get
ting the worst of 1t from the railways, 1
packing companies and others, for
many years. and that they now have
a remedy which they will use.
Secretary j. j. Ryan of Fort Dodge.
President Ames of Buckingham, Henry
Wallace and FL. G. Wallace Of Des
Moines are frequent visitors at mee5-
ings OF the county associations and are
also organizing new ones They claim
that the organization is by far more
than they anticipated, the
of the return passes being
a stimulant which strengthened the
more than any other one
thing could have possibly done.