Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-13
NAY INCLUDE
STREET RAILWAYS
cummins May Recommend
Legislation Against Pass
System In Des Moines
NIGHT ALLOW CENT FARE
In Three Years the Des Moines Street
Railway Company Has Given Away
$4,000 Worth of Transportation
Saving Would Enable Them Re-
duce the Regular Fare.
Tin,es-Republican:

Special to Times-Republican:
Des Moines, March lat is prop-
ahle that in recommending to the leg
islature next January the passage OF
anti-nass law, Governor Cum1nins will
include also the street railways anu
will ask that the law apply 10 an
persons except employees Of the ROAD
and to these also ii they happen TO De
5emnloyes Of the state. This Would
prohibit the givint; Of passes TO tne
legislators and others in the employ
of the state on the plea that they are
employees of the re ad. In the discus
sion of the anti-pass legislation 1t has
always been pointed out that II none
but employees are allowed to rlde on
passes. the number of employees Will
at once become greatly increased, ana
the same people will ride on passes
as before The pass system on the
Des Moines Street Railway has prob
ably gone to as extreme lengths as
anywhere in the country. The street
railway has policy of issuing books
of 100 rides to tn. book. The value
of a book at Gents a ride would
therefore be 5. A series OF these books
begun some three years ago passed
the ten thousand mark some time IN
February. A new series has now been
started. In other words in about three
years the street railway has given
away over 10000 street car books the
value of which at IS book is $4,000.
1t is believed that with the pass sys-
tern absolutely prohibited the COM
pany could give three-cent fare.
80
N. S. Ketchum, Of the state railroad
commission, on rec uest Of members Of
the Wisconsin Legislature who are try
ing to secure "a law in that state Great
ing railroad commission, has given
a number of suggestions and these
have been embodie in the law that is
now before the Wisconsin legislature.
Mr.. ketchum has very comprehen-
sive view of the matter and believes a
railroad commission should have au-'
thority to meet every contingency
that may arise. He suggested sec
ton of the bill giving the commission
at times of interstate rate wars au-
thority to ssupend state rates and APP
ply temporary rates as the needs may
dictate. In the case Of the recent cut
rates from Omaha on interstate
freight such authority would have Civ
en- the state commissioners power to
have Immediately stopped the dis
elimination by instituting low rates
within the state from inland points
He also recommended giving the
commission power to weigh cars; to
property; to fix different rates for diff
fereht railroads and different rates for
different sections of oxe railroad; to
fix joint rates for connecting lines; to
require the building of spur tracks for
the benefit Of shir pers. Mr.. Ketchum
also made other recommendations
which were embodied in the bill from
the committee. 1t is Mr.. Ketchum's 8
belief that the laws could be greatly
benefited by making it compulsory on
the railroads that they carry free all
STATE officials and members Of the leg
islature and he believes that the states
interests are better served by requir-
ing the commissioners to devote their
entire time to the work and paying
them a salary lii accordance. Mr..
Ketchum is bringing to the railroad
! commission office knowledge of ac-
tual conditions gained thru many
years. experience as a shipper that is
proving valuable 20 the state.
The library commission is working
under some disadvantages under the
present law. In every office of the
state house where officers or employees
do any travelling at the expense of the
state they purchase books and when
1000 miles of transportation have
been used get rebate Of $40, max
ing the fare on he basis of 2 cents
mile. The rebute of $40 is turned
back into the funl available for other
purposes of the office in every Office
except that of the library commission.
In that office the law is so made that
certain part of the $4,000 annually
appropriated is fo- salaries and GER
tain part for travelling expenses and
the balance divided up among other
uses. These various amounts further
more are fixed by the committee Of
the Legislature on retrenchment and
reform and not by the library COM
mission If the library employees turn
back the rebate it goes to the general
fund of the state and thus goes out
of the hands of the library commis-
SION In the other departments by de-
ducting the amount from salaries the
money is kept in the department fund
and is available for any purpose.
Superintendent John F. Riggs, while
not committing hi nself on the question
of a board of control for state euca-
tional institutions believes that the edi-
torial in Midland Schools recently pub
lished in the Times Republican, lis
misleading in some respects and he
personally called attention Of the edi-
tor OF Midland Schools to the matter.
He states that from the editorial It