Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-24
Iowa Legislature May BE Asked
to Pass Law Making Mileage
Books Transferable
PASSES
General Belief That Increase in Travel
Would Fellow Issuing of Book Good
For All Members of the Family =
Great Convenience for the Travelling
Public.

Des Moines, March 24.--It is believ-
ed to be quite definitely settled that
the progressive program in the legis-
lature of the coming year will include
at least three reforms of the greatest
possible Importance.
These will be:
First, the adoption Of a statewide
primary law, including provision TO
enable the people to nominate United
States senators.
Second the abolition Of railroad
passes of every kind, except those is
sued to bona fide employees of railroads.
Third, a law to compel the railroads
to sell mileage books good until used
end for the indiscriminate use OF all
members Of each Of the families whose
heads purchased them
OF course may other important
propositions are under consideration,
and probably several others viii! find
places on the program. But 1T is GER
tain, practically, that the three which
have been mentioned will be pressed
to statutory expression, il that out
come is within the realm of possibility.
Freight Rates, Possibly.
tits barely possible that he PROPOSE
ton for the regulation of the sale OF
mileage books may assume another
form, and that reduction In freight
rates may supersede the plan to en-
large the utility of the passenger mile
age book. or course the suggestions
bear a close relation, but 1t is appar-
emit at once that whereas the enlarg-
ment of the scope of usefulness OF the
mileage book as proposed would in
evitably result in materially in
creased income to the railroads, re-
duction OF freight rates might result
in decrease in revenue, depending on Its
effect on the quantity of shipments.
Recently indications have arrived at
the surface that influences which Were
counted against the primary law viii
stand for It,, at least nominally, and in
many quarters among the friends of
that legislation there is decided en-
couragem.ant based on other and more
tangible reasons.
And at no time since the adjourn
ment OF the legislature or last winter
has there been serious doubt that
the session of 1906. whether Of the
same assembly as that of 1904 or of a
newly elected one. would enact an anti
pass bill in more drastic form than
that which has gone before the legisla-
ture of Iowa from the desk of John
Hughes, three times in the past six
years.
Mileage Book Extensions.
Men who have investigated the sub
ject and are informed with respect to
1t have. no manner of doubt about the
entire reasonableness Of the PROPOSE
ton to enlarge the uses Of the mileage
book
They believe it to be demonstrable
that travel would SO increase, if mile
age books were sold under the liberal
conditions contemplated by the pro-
posed law. that the net revenue to the
railroads from passenger traffic would
increase vastly more in proportion.
Which. in itself, would be ample justi-
fication for the enactment. were it not
simultaneously the intention to urge
the enactment Of the anti-pass bill,
which will stop one of the most per-
sistent and important leaks in railroad
financial management
There was a time when the railroads
refused to honor ordinary passenger
tickets presented after the date of
sale; but today they redeem these
tickets, under the law The PROPOSE
ton to extend the benefits Of the mile
age books from the purchaser alone to
the members of his family, is but an
other step in the same wholesome di-
rection.